Herring was the European Union’s top exported small pelagic species in regard to volume and second-most in value terms last year, new data from the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA) has confirmed.
The bloc exported 217,843 metric tons (MT) of herring worth EUR 171 million (USD 199.1 million) in 2017, representing increases of 10 percent and seven percent, respectively, compared with the previous year. Mostly sold whole frozen, the average price paid for the fish was EUR 0.79 (USD 0.92) per kg, which was three percent less than in 2016.
With a trade valued at EUR 98 million (USD 114.1 million), the Netherlands was the EU’s main exporter of herring, while the main destinations for E.U. exports were Egypt (EUR 50 million, USD 58.2 million) and Nigeria (EUR 47 million, USD 54.7 million), followed by the United States and Ukraine. EUMOFA highlighted that exports to Egypt increased by 26 percent over 2016.
In volume terms, mackerel was the E.U.’s second-most important small pelagic export but the most valuable last year with 187,933 MT earning EUR 239 million (USD 278.3 million), down five percent and one percent, respectively.
The E.U.’s mackerel exports achieved an average price of EUR 1.27 (USD 1.48) per kilogram, which was four percent higher than in 2016. Again, most products were sold whole frozen with the Netherlands leading the trade with a EUR 92 million (USD 107.2 million) share of the total. Ireland followed with EUR 55 million (USD 64.1 million).
The main destination for European mackerel was Nigeria, which bought in EUR 75 million (USD 87.3 million) worth of the fish, although its imports decreased by 21 percent. Other important export destinations were Ghana, Egypt and the Russian Federation.
Overall, the E.U. exported 639,326 MT of small pelagic fish worth a total of EUR 689 million (USD 802.4 million). It also imported 421,090 MT of the commodity group with a value of EUR 783 million (USD 911.9 million).
