EUMOFA Monthly Highlights No. 3/2022 is online

This month’s issue analyses first sales of monkfish (Italy, Netherlands, Spain) and blackspot seabream (Spain, Portugal, Italy). The case studies of this month are: “Fisheries and aquaculture in Ecuador”; “Squid in the EU”.

FIRST SALES IN EUROPE. In December 2021, compared to December 2020, first-sales value and volume of fisheries and aquaculture products increased in Belgium, Cyprus, France, Latvia, Lithuania, and Portugal. The most recent weekly (up to week 14 of 2022) and monthly (January 2022) data for first sales in Europe can be accessed on the EUMOFA website.

FIRST SALES OF ANGLER (MONKFISH) AND BLACKSPOT SEABREAM. From January 2019 to December 2021, the weighted average first-sales price of angler in Italy was 7,37 EUR/kg, 93% higher than in the Netherlands (3,82 EUR/kg), and 16% higher than that of Spain (6,33 EUR/kg). In the same period, the weighted average first-sales price of blackspot seabream in Spain was 21,09 EUR/kg. This was nearly 50% higher than in Portugal (14,39 EUR/kg), and 35% higher than in Italy (15,59 EUR/kg).

EXTRA-EU IMPORTS. Price of fresh or chilled gilthead seabream from Turkey showed an upward trend from the beginning of 2022.

CONSUMPTION. Italian consumers spent an average of 13,95 EUR per month for a kilogram of octopus, whereas consumers in Portugal spent 9,38 EUR on average per month over the past three years (January 2019 – December 2021). The most recent weekly consumption data (up to week 13 of 2022) can be accessed on the EUMOFA website.

FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE IN ECUADOR. Total EU imports of fisheries and aquaculture products from Ecuador reached 297.000 tonnes for EUR 1.4 billion in 2021. Of this, warmwater shrimps contributed 49% and tuna 45% of the total volumes.

SQUID IN THE EU. In 2019, landings of squid species in the EU amounted to 32.707 tonnes for a total value of EUR 176 million. Fresh landings accounted for 76% of the total volume and 91% of the total value, while the rest was landed frozen.

GLOBAL HIGHLIGHTS. A new measure to protect Baltic Proper harbour porpoises from being caught in fishing operations came into effect in February 2022 as a result of almost two years of joint efforts by the Commission and eight Baltic Sea Member States to tackle bycatch.

MACROECONOMIC CONTEXT. Average prices for marine fuel in March 2022 ranged between 0,91 and 0,94 EUR/litre in ports in France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Prices increased by an average of 32% compared with the previous month and 114% compared with the same month in 2021. Fuel prices have soared due to the Ukraine-Russia crisis.

Monthly Highlights 3/2022 is available in English, French and Spanish.