Shellfish has long been a major component of the U.K. fishing industry and a major source of export revenues.
In 2014, the United Kingdom exported around 500,000 metric tons (MT) of seafood, worth around GBP 1.6 billion (USD 2.3 billion, EUR 2 billion), according to new Seafish data. Of this total, shellfish contributed GBP 760 million (USD 1.1 billion, EUR 942.4 million).
While the total volume of shellfish exports has declined by 17 percent since 2010, certain species have seen a significant growth in trade. The greatest change has been in the country’s lobster exports, which increased threefold from 2,300 MT in 2010 to 9,400 MT in 2014.
Almost 90 percent of all U.K. exported shellfish goes to EU markets, with France the No. 1 importer – taking 20,000 MT of U.K. shellfish, worth GBP 150 million (USD 212.4 million, EUR 186.3 million).
Spain also imported large volumes of U.K.-landed shellfish in 2014, although less than in the previous year.
The three main shellfish species landed by U.K. vessels in 2014 were scallops, crabs and nephrops, which combined accounted for approximately 70 percent of both the volume and value of shellfish landings.
The average price per MT has increased by almost 10 percent since 2010, but there is considerable variation between species. Lobsters had by far the highest average price at GBP 9,890 (USD 14,005, EUR 12,287) per MT in 2014, and yet after peaking in 2007, prices have fallen to below the level seen in 2000.
The price of U.K.-landed nephrops, meanwhile, was GBP 3,240 (USD 4,588, EUR 4,025) per MT in 2014, an increase of 30 percent compared with 2010.
Mussels are the lowest value shellfish species, but have almost doubled in average price since 2010.
