The Friends of Freshwater Fishes (FFF) is an alliance of 13 EU member states, namely Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania. All together the countries, where freshwater aquaculture is dominating. We believe that freshwater aquaculture, which provides over 20 % of the European aquaculture, is still an insufficiently explored opportunity for improving food security and developing rural areas.

The predecessor of the FFF Group was established in 2011 in Hungary, as LLC (land-locked countries) Group. After having organised numerous successful meetings on the further development of European aquaculture and, in particular, freshwater aquaculture; we extended the group to all interest member states, mostly at Central-Eastern Europe and the Baltic.

Our aim is to stress that freshwater aquaculture has a significant role of providing rural employment in the poorest areas. Moreover to highlight its environmental role of maintaining valuable wetlands, and providing a wide range of ecosystem services that go far beyond its economic value.