Latvian aquaculture producers cannot meet domestic market demand despite abundant water resources and suitable territories,auseklis.lv reported. High production costs and expensive modern technology limit expansion, leaving the sector to balance environmental sustainability with market prices.
Recirkulācijas akvakultūras sistēmas un to izmaksas
Recirculation aquaculture systems, known as RAS, allow fish farming throughout the year independently of natural water bodies and seasonal temperature shifts. Mārtiņš Plikšs, a senior aquaculture expert at the BIOR institute who worked at a large Danish salmon farm during his studies, stated that Danish facilities produced between 2,700 and 2,800 tons of salmon annually. These facilities purchased eggs from Iceland and raised fish in freshwater systems until they reached marketable weights of 3.5 to 5 kilograms or more. However, Plikšs noted that energy consumption in such enterprises was astronomical, requiring continuous operation of water purification and circulation equipment.
Mārcis Ziņģis, a researcher at the Tome fish hatchery, emphasized that recirculation systems are not a universal solution for every grower. Interest in these technologies surged in Latvia approximately ten years ago, but several established systems no longer produce fish or never started operating. Consequently, statistics on built systems do not reflect actual fish production volumes. Operating a RAS requires heavy investments in construction, equipment purchases, electricity bills, technical maintenance, and constant supervision. Plikšs shared that a comparable project he observed took about ten years to break even, and Ziņģis warned that technology suppliers often make overly optimistic promises that fail to match production outcomes.
Latvijas un Lietuvas atšķirīgie ražošanas mērogi
Lithuania has developed large-scale carp farming operations supported by more favorable climatic conditions for that species. In contrast, Latvia relies predominantly on smaller traditional pond farms that maintain lower fish stocking densities to preserve water quality and local ecosystems. Ziņģis explained that lower densities support environmental standards but increase production costs and hinder local producers from competing with imports. Industry data cited by auseklis.lv show that approximately half of the carp available on the Latvian market is imported from Lithuania and Poland due to lower foreign prices. In 2025, Latvia’s total realized aquaculture fish production reached 850.1 tons valued at 3.5 million euros, with foreign market sales accounting for 34.4 tons worth 166.1 thousand euros.
Ūdens resursi un zivju barošanas ietekme
Water availability in Latvia differs fundamentally from regions facing severe water scarcity. Ziņģis noted that Latvia possesses sufficient water resources, meaning water conservation itself is not the primary barrier to sector growth. Nevertheless, groundwater requires preparation, and surface water carries biological loads that necessitate filtration, heating, or cooling depending on the species and technology used. Pumping water from deep wells generates additional operational expenses. Meanwhile, fish feed constitutes between 70 and 90 percent of production costs in intensive farming systems. Ziņģis pointed out that unconsumed feed and metabolic wastes degrade water quality and accumulate in sediments, making precise feeding controls essential to prevent environmental pollution and financial loss.
Biežāk uzdotie jautājumi
Kādas zivju sugas tiek audzētas Latvijas akvakultūrā?
According to data reported by auseklis.lv, the main fish species realized in fresh and processed forms include carp, Arctic char, catfish, sturgeon, trout, tench, pike-perch, and pike.
Kādas bija Latvijas akvakultūras realizācijas kopējās apjoma un vērtības rādītāji?
In 2025, the total realized aquaculture fish production volume in Latvia reached 850.1 tons, with a total value of 3.5 million euros.
Kāpēc daļa recirkulācijas sistēmu Latvijā vairs nedarbojas?
Mārcis Ziņģis indicated that high construction, equipment, and electricity costs, combined with overly optimistic production expectations, caused several systems built over the past decade to halt production or fail to start.
Related reading