EUMOFA Monthly Highlights No. 4/2025 is online

This month’s issue analyses the evolution of first sales at the commodity group level and the first sales in EU Member States. It examines the consumption and extra-EU imports of other marine fish. This month’s case studies are: 'EU trade in fishery and aquaculture products' and 'Horse and jack mackerel in the EU'.

MACROECONOMIC CONTEXT. Average prices for marine fuel in February 2025 ranged between 0,61 and 0,80 EUR/litre in ports in France, Italy, Spain and the UK. Prices decreased by an average of about 1,4% compared with the previous month and by an average of 9,7% compared with the same month in 2024.

FIRST SALES IN EUROPE. In January 2025, first-sales value reached EUR 265.3 million and volume totaled 124,373 tonnes. The value declined by 7% compared to January 2023, mainly due to drops in cephalopods (–19%), groundfish (–14%), and flatfish (–19%), but increased by 6% compared to January 2024, driven by small pelagics (+9%). While first-sales volumes remained stable year-on-year, they were 20% lower than in January 2023, with significant declines in small pelagics (–17%) and groundfish (–55%). In January 2025, Germany saw a decrease in Greenland halibut first-sales value and volume compared to January 2024, with December 2024 landings at 880 tonnes. In Italy, January 2025 saw an increase in both the value and volume of anchovy, with the average price rising from 1.71 EUR/kg to 3.33 EUR/kg.

EXTRA-EU IMPORTS. of “other marine fish” in the period January - November 2024, extra-EU accounted for a total value of EUR 1.480 million and total volume of 265.575 tonnes, which are virtually unchanged from the same period in 2023..

CONSUMPTION. In the period from January to December 2024, household consumption of fresh other marine species is monitored in France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Consumption of fresh gilthead seabream shows a downward trend in volume. While in January 2025 it was 4% higher than in the same period the previous year, it was still 24% lower than three years ago, in January 2022. Price has shown an upward trend; in January 2025 it was 9% higher than in January 2024 and 25% higher than in January 2022.

The most recent consumption data can be accessed here.

EU TRADE IN FISHERY AND AQUACULTURE PRODUCTS. In 2024, EU imports of fishery and aquaculture products from third countries amounted to 5,9 million tonnes (product weight) valued at EUR 29,2 billion. Compared to 2023 this was a 1% decrease in terms of volume and a 2% decrease in terms of value. The export volume from the EU to non-EU countries reached 2,2 million tonnes in 2024, a 1% decrease compared to 2023. The total value reached EUR 8,27 billion, up from EUR 8,1 billion in 2023 (+2%). In 2024, intra-EU trade of fishery and aquaculture products amounted to 5,7 million tonnes worth EUR 31,5 billion.

HORSE AND JACK MACKEREL IN THE EU.Over the period (2015-2024), average first-sale prices of Atlantic horse mackerel were higher than those of blue jack mackerel. In 2024, they reached respectively 1,44 EUR/kg and 0,98 EUR/kg. Since 2022, first-sale prices of Atlantic horse mackerel increased by 25% (in relation to the volume decrease) while those of blue jack mackerel decreased by 11%.

Monthly Highlights 4/2025 is available for download here.

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