The development of fish farming or aquaculture is the direction in which the State Fisheries Agency will concentrate its main efforts in 2017. This was announced by the chairman of the agency Yarema Kuznetsov during a press conference on February 24. “In 2016, the share of farm fish in the world catch was 52%, and in Ukraine only 25%. At the same time, our state has the largest area of inland water bodies in Europe. We see enormous potential in aquaculture development to become a European leader in the region,” - declared Kuznetsov. According to the chairman of the State Fishery Agency, in May 2017, Ukrainian farmers will have access to funds under the financial agreement between Ukraine and the European Investment Bank. The agreement provides for a 400 million euro loan from the EIB for the development of the agricultural sector, some of which will be directed to the fishing industry.
Together with experts from the Reform Support Office, the State Fisheries Agency is working on a bill on the certificate of origin of fish. Such a certificate would prevent the sale of poacher fish, in the same way opening up new niches for legal producers. Currently, work continues on a draft law on the creation of a Fund to support the fishing industry. Funds from the Fund will be allocated to stocking, amelioration and support to aquaculture entrepreneurship programs. Both bills are planned to be sent to BP already in the late spring of 2017.
In particular, by the end of the year, the State Agency plans to resolve the issue of reducing the financial burden on entrepreneurs to pay for the land, to increase customs duties on the import of varieties of fish that can be grown in Ukraine. Amendments to legislation are also being prepared that will allow providing fisheries enterprises with financial support from the state budget. 
