An aquaculture census carried out by the National Statistics Office last year shows that the gross output of the industry rose by 49.1 percent, from €86.4 million in 2006 to €128.8 million in 2007.

The rise was mainly on account of an increase in the value of fish sold, which rose by 41.2 percent to €103.2 million in 2007.

The volume of fresh fish sold advanced by 19.9 percent, from 7.1 thousand tonnes in 2006 to 8.6 thousand tonnes in 2007. Complementing this increase in volume was a general rise in the average price of fresh fish sold, which went up by 17.8 percent to €12.02 per kilogramme in 2007.

Similarly, intermediate consumption, which takes into account the expenses incurred in the production of farmed fish, rose by 74.5 percent, from €56.9 million in 2006 to €99.3 million in 2007.

The purchases of live fish and fingerlings, while making up 43.7 percent of all intermediate consumption in 2006, rose by 103.2 percent in 2007. The percentage share of live fish and fingerlings purchased amounted to 50.9 percent of the total intermediate consumption in 2007, up by 7.2 percentage points from 43.7 percent in 2006. The increase in the value of fresh fish purchased resulted from an increase in the volume of fresh fish purchased (+39.6 percent) complemented by a rise in the price per kilogramme by 45.5 percent over 2006.

Other noticeable production costs which registered significant increases were fuel costs which rose by 114.3 percent over 2006 and variable production costs, which rose by 45.5 percent, mainly due to the increase in the purchases of fish feed (+29.1 percent).