Total household expenditure on seafood among EU member states reached EUR 54.7 billion (USD 59.4 billion) in 2013, an increase of 1 percent on the previous year and the highest amount ever recorded, according to a new report published by the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture (EUMOFA).
Despite this growth, the 2015 edition of “The EU Fish Market” finds consumption per capita for 2012 was 23.9 kg, a 3 percent decrease from 2011. This downward trend has been seen since 2008, when per capita fish consumption stood at 26 kg.
EUMOFA confirmed the EU is the largest trader of fishery and aquaculture products in the world in terms of value. EU trade – comprising EU imports and exports, and intra-EU exchanges – has increased steadily over the past five years. In 2014, the trade flow amounted to EUR 45.9 billion (USD 49.8 billion) and 13.8 million metric tons (MT).
Values of EU imports have been increasing since 2009, at an average annual growth rate of 6 percent. In 2014, the EU imported fish and seafood for a value of EUR 21 billion (USD 22.8 billion).
Furthermore, EU imports of seafood are more than four times higher than meat in value, and this ratio is increasing.
Norway and China are the main suppliers to the EU.
In 2014, EU exports reached EUR 4.3 billion (USD 4.7 billion), which was 30 percent above the 2006-2014 average. Volumes were also the highest since 2006, reaching more than 2 million MT for the first time.
While the bloc’s exports are almost entirely composed of products from captured fisheries, the EU’s aquaculture production is destined for the EU market, said EUMOFA.
