New study: Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit and the Russian War of Aggression against Ukraine on the EU Fishery and Aquaculture Sector

The EU fishery and aquaculture sector has faced three very different shocks since 2020. COVID-19 primarily disrupted demand and logistics, Brexit introduced structural trade frictions and quota adjustments, and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine triggered a major cost shock across the entire value chain.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the most abrupt short-term disruption. The collapse of foodservice demand, combined with labour shortages and logistical bottlenecks, strongly affected fresh and live products, while retail demand increased for frozen, processed and shelf-stable seafood.

Brexit has had longer-term structural effects on EU-UK trade. Although tariff-free trade was preserved under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, new customs procedures, sanitary controls and documentation requirements have increased administrative costs and reduced the fluidity of trade, particularly for fresh products.

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine significantly increased energy, fuel, feed and transport costs. These cost pressures have raised prices along the supply chain and affected both fishing operations and aquaculture production.

Despite these overlapping shocks, the sector has demonstrated strong resilience and adaptability. Firms have diversified supply chains, expanded frozen and value-added products, and adjusted marketing channels, while EU policy instruments have supported crisis management and the transition toward a more resilient and sustainable sector.

The study will be featured in the EUMOFA Talk, “Navigating Uncertainty: Building a Resilient EU Market for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products,” on April 22 2026, as part of Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona, Spain. The workshop is free and open to all. Additional details will be shared soon.

The study is available for download here.