This Government Decision approves the Regulation on the collection, reception, processing, management and use of scientific data in the aquaculture sector, in partial transposition of several EU legal acts on fisheries and aquaculture data collection. The Regulation establishes a national framework for the administration, analysis and use of economic, social, technical, biological and environmental data from aquaculture. It clarifies definitions such as primary, detailed, aggregated and scientific data, metadata, scientific observer and final data user, and designates the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry as the authority responsible for obtaining aquaculture data, while the National Bureau of Statistics is responsible for official aquaculture statistics. The text requires the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry to approve an annual Plan for the collection, reception, processing, management and use of scientific data in aquaculture. The Plan specifies variables to be collected by the National Institute for Applied Research in Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (INCAAMV) from producer organizations and the National Bureau of Statistics, including social variables (employment by gender, age, education, nationality and professional status) and economic variables (revenues, operating costs, capital costs, investments, assets, debts, labour and enterprise numbers). It sets principles for data collection methods (relevance, reliability, continuity of time series, cost–benefit, spatial and temporal coverage, avoidance of duplication) and obliges producer organizations to submit annual primary data using a standard questionnaire, with social variables collected every three years. The Regulation also covers data on water quality, use of antibiotics and other medicines, and health of aquaculture animals for use by competent institutions. The Regulation details institutional procedures for planning, reporting and quality assurance. INCAAMV becomes, from 1 January 2027, the institution responsible for receiving, managing and processing aquaculture data, preparing an annual report on Plan implementation by 31 May, and verifying the correctness and completeness of primary data supplied by producer organizations. The Ministry approves procedural norms and formats, coordinates annual reporting, validates processed scientific data, ensures secure storage, confidentiality and protection of data, and publishes scientific aquaculture data on its website by 15 October each year, subject to safeguards for personal and commercially sensitive information. It regulates access by final data users through written requests, sets time limits for providing detailed and aggregated data, allows delayed publication of data used for scientific works to protect data collectors’ interests, and empowers the Ministry to restrict access in case of misuse. Finally, it encourages cooperation and participation of national experts and INCAAMV in regional and international aquaculture management and scientific bodies to improve data quality and scientific advice.
Республика Молдова · 2025-07-02