Fishing in European Union: Market Size, Businesses & Forecast 2026

The European Union fishing industry encompasses commercial marine harvesting across EU member states, operating under the regulatory frameworks of the Common Fisheries Policy. In 2023, the sector operated an active fleet of approximately 53,300 vessels, yielding total landings of 3.39 million tonnes valued at an estimated EUR 6.13 billion according to the European Commission Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) Annual Economic Report published in 2025. The industry's near-term direction points toward stabilization and partial recovery, driven by falling fuel prices after the volatility of 2022 and rising projections for both gross and operating profits through 2

Industry snapshot

Key public data points

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What does the Fishing in European Union industry cover?

The fishing industry in the European Union comprises the commercial capture of wild marine organisms by vessels registered across member state fleets. It spans operations across primary European sea basins, including the North Sea, Baltic Sea, Mediterranean, and Northeast Atlantic, as well as external waters governed by international partnerships. The scope includes both the large-scale industrial segments and the small-scale coastal fishing fleets that utilize passive gear.

• •Classified under NACE Rev. 2.1 code 03.11 for marine fishing activities.
• •Small-scale coastal vessels under 12 meters in length represent nearly 77% of the total active EU fleet in 2023.
• •Industrial vessels account for the minority of the total fleet numbers but command the vast majority of fishing capacity and total catch volume.

Who operates in the industry and how is it structured?

The EU fishing fleet operates under a complex system of national flag quotas distributed among member states. Operational capacity is heavily distributed across coastal nations, with primary employment and production centralized in Mediterranean and Atlantic countries. While thousands of independent owner-operators govern small vessels, corporate concentration exists within the large pelagic and demersal industrial segments.

• •The active fleet employed more than 155,200 individuals across the European Union in 2023 (STECF 2025).
• •The highest absolute numbers of individual fishers are concentrated within Spain, Italy, Greece, and France.
• •Corporate fleets operate globally, securing access to distant waters via EU Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements.

What drives demand in the industry?

Demand for EU fishery products is primarily dictated by European household seafood consumption and the requirements of regional fish processing industries. Market dynamics are influenced by evolving consumer preferences for sustainable, traceable proteins and shifts in discretionary spending linked to retail inflation. Fluctuations in first-sale prices directly alter the revenue generation capabilities of operators at the landing docks.

• •High seafood price inflation in 2023 contributed to a net reduction in EU household consumption of fresh seafood according to EUMOFA.
• •Overall landings experienced a 2.6% decrease in weight and a 13.4% decline in total value in 2023 relative to 2022.
• •Consumer demand is heavily steered by eco-labeling and the sustainable status of regional fish stocks.

Who are the notable companies in the industry?

The competitive landscape of EU marine fishing features intense competition for limited catch quotas alongside structural consolidation driven by major multinational corporate groups. Large corporate entities, frequently organized into trade groups like the Pelagic Freezer-trawler Association, hold significant proportions of member state quotas. These consolidated firms manage integrated operations spanning harvesting, freezing, and distribution.

• •Parlevliet & Van der Plas operates as a major private corporate actor in the EU market, generating approximately EUR 1.5 billion in annual revenue.
• •Cornelis Vrolijk is a dominant Dutch corporate operator commanding substantial shares of the regional pelagic quotas and processing infrastructure.
• •Other highly notable corporate groups active across the EU harvesting and processing ecosystem include Samherji and Nueva Pescanova.
• •A highly integrated group of major corporate operators, colloquially termed the 'Big Five', controls close to 20% of the aggregate EU fishing capacity.

What are the recent trends and outlook?

The industry's economic performance has recently stabilized following acute cost pressures linked to high energy volatility in 2022. Operating costs decreased in 2023 alongside falling fuel prices, though general economic inflation kept labor and equipment costs elevated. Forward nowcasts indicate a major recovery in sector profitability throughout 2025 and into 2026.

• •Total fuel consumption across the EU fishing fleet fell to roughly 1.56 billion litres in 2023.
• •Gross profit across the collective EU fleet stood at EUR 0.99 billion in 2023, while operating profit reached EUR 222 million.
• •Official STECF projections released in 2025 forecast fleet operating profit to expand by 80% in 2024 and 155% in 2025 relative to 2023 baselines.

How is the industry regulated?

The industry is rigidly managed under the European Union Common Fisheries Policy, which establishes strict conservation measures to prevent overfishing. Regulatory compliance is maintained through Total Allowable Catches, technical restrictions on gear, and mandatory spatial landing obligations. Enforcement is supported by scientific assessments to ensure fish populations remain within safe biological limits.

• •Strict limits prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing under core EU IUU regulations.
• •The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries provides mandatory scientific advice to guide annual quota levels.
• •The Data Collection Framework standardizes member state obligations for reporting socio-economic and biological metrics.

Government, statistical and trade sources used for this Claight analysis.

• STECF Annual Economic Report on the EU Fishing Fleet 2025 ·
• European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA) 2025 ·
• European Commission Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries 2025 ·
• Eurostat Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community Rev. 2.1 2023