Feeding birds in fish farming

They established a four-year contract with Bulgarian authorities to be compensated annually for production losses, allowing the protected birds to eat from their ponds.

Erim Fish JSC is a small family aquaculture company located on the banks of the river Vacha in a Natura 2000 protected area, an important habitat for various bird species. The company suffer significant losses from birds eating juvenile trout and sturgeon from the ponds. They often try to take larger fish as well, which are too large for them to swallow, but end up injured and subsequently die.

With the help of EMFF funds, the company set up a contract with Bulgarian authorities to be compensated annually for the loss of fish to protected birds, which are allowed to feed on the fish to maintain biodiversity in the area. Compensation was provided by the Bulgarian authorities to encourage fish farming while maintaining the health of the nearby bird habitats, and to promote the introduction of granulated fish feed, which is absorbed better by the fish and has a less detrimental effect on water quality compared to standard fish fodder.