EUMOFA Monthly Highlights No. 6/2025 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 groundfish. The case studies featured this month are: 'Fisheries and Aquaculture in Malaysia' and 'Flounder in the EU'.

MACROECONOMIC CONTEXT. Average prices for marine fuel in May 2025 ranged between 0,51 and 0,64 EUR/litre in ports in France, Italy, Spain and the UK. Prices decreased by an average of about 3,4% compared with the previous month and decreased by an average of 18,3% compared with the same month in 2024.

FIRST SALES IN EUROPE. The overall value of total first sales in the period January-March in 2025 was EUR 860,0 million, a 1% decrease compared to 2024 and 6% less compared to 2023. While the overall volume was 477.771 tonnes, this was a 15% decrease compared to 2024, and a 20% decrease compared to 2023. In 2025, groundfish recorded a significant decline, with first-sales value dropping by 2% to €156.2 million and volume falling sharply by 24% to 122,026 tonnes.

EXTRA-EU IMPORTS of groundfish in January 2025 reached a total value of EUR 366.2 million and a volume of 81,474 tonnes, representing a 13% increase in value and a 10% rise in volume compared to January 2024.

CONSUMPTION. Between March 2022 and March 2025, household consumption of groundfish was monitored in nine Member States—Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. During this period, consumption volumes declined, while prices showed a slight upward trend.

The most recent consumption data can be accessed here.

FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE IN MALAYSIA. The European Union imported 24.000 tonnes of Malaysian fishery and aquaculture products in 2024, valued at EUR 45 million. Key exports to the EU included warmwater shrimp, surimi, other marine fish, and cephalopods such as squid and octopus.

FLOUNDER IN THE EU. In 2023, global catches of flounder amounted to 39.032 tonnes, 45% of which includes catches by the Republic of Korea. Catches by EU Member States ranked second, covering together 24% of the total, followed by the United States (14%) and Canada (9%)./p>

Monthly Highlights 6/2025 is available for download here.

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