The European Commission has released its 2025 annual economic report on the European Union fishing fleet, projecting operating profits of €567 million for the EU fleet in 2025. This figure shows a positive trend, surpassing the results of 2023 and 2024.
According to the report, which provides data on fleet performance in 2023 as well as projections for 2024 and 2025, there were 53,300 active vessels employing more than 155,200 people in 2023. The EU fishing fleet landed about 3.39 million tonnes of fish, with a value of approximately €6.13 billion in 2023.
‘I’m glad to see a positive trend in the EU fleet performance, which is linked to moving in the right direction with sustainable fisheries. Achieving this brings real benefits to the EU fleet and supports our coastal communities,’ said Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis.
‘When we stick to science-based quotas and let fish stocks recover, we see improvements in the economic health of our fleet and better remuneration for those working in the sector. While these developments are promising, it’s important to remember that challenges remain, and we must continue working together to tackle them and keep our sector thriving.’
The report outlines key drivers of this upswing, including progress in achieving sustainable fish stocks, adjustment in fishing capacity fewer operating vessels, each vessel returning higher profits, and a decrease in fuel prices and consumption reulting in lower operating costs contribute directly to higher profits. Over the period 2013-2023, the fuel consumption per kg of fish caught has declined by 11%.
The Commission states that while these factors are behind the positive performances of the EU fleet, it is important to underline the key role played by conservation policies in fisheries and the energy efficiency in the fishing sector, and that evidence shows that conservation is economically beneficial.
Alongside the positives, the report highlights persistent challenges faced by the EU fishing fleet, including structural problems as further capacity adjustment is required in fleets that depend on overexploited stocks, ageing vessels, generational renewal, and regional disparities as the economic performance and salaries of the crew tend to mirror the stock status and overcapacity in the different sea areas and fisheries, causing regional disparities.
