EUMOFA Monthly Highlights No. 6/2021 is online

This month’s issue analyses first sales of European flounder (the Netherlands, Poland, Denmark) and megrim (Spain, Denmark, France). The case studies of this month are: “EU Trade in 2020”; “Whelks in the EU”.

FIRST SALES IN EUROPE. In January–March 2021, compared to the same period in 2020, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Latvia, Lithuania, and Portugal all recorded an increase in both first-sales value and volume. The most recent weekly (up to week 25 of 2021) and monthly (April 2021) data for first sales in Europe can be accessed on the EUMOFA website.

FIRST SALES OF ATLANTIC HERRING AND ATLANTIC HORSE MACKEREL. From April 2018 to March 2021, the weighted average first-sales price of European flounder in the Netherlands was 0,69 EUR/kg, 108% higher than in Poland (0,33 EUR/kg), and 83% higher than in Denmark (0,39 EUR/kg).
Over the same period, the weighted average first-sales price of megrim was the highest in Spain, at 7,22 EUR/kg. That price was 140% greater than in Denmark (3,01 EUR/kg), and 105% over the weighted average price in France (3,53 EUR/kg).

EXTRA-EU IMPORTS. From week 1 to week 16 of 2021, the price of fresh or chilled Atlantic halibut from Norway remained stable and ranged from 6,59 to 8,49 EUR/kg.

CONSUMPTION. From April 2018 to March 2021, total household consumption of miscellaneous shrimps was 7.831 tonnes in Germany, 1.928 tonnes in the Republic of Ireland, 3.372 tonnes in the Netherlands, and 12.307 tonnes in Portugal. The most recent weekly (up to week 25 of 2021) consumption data can be accessed on the EUMOFA website.

EU TRADE IN 2020. In 2020, EU trade of fisheries and aquaculture products was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the sector has been seriously disrupted, with impacts occurring across all supply chains. In 2020, EU trade deficit reached EUR −17,2 billion, which is EUR 1,9 billion less than in 2019. Measured in volume terms, the trade deficit was −3,6 million tonnes, down by 3,2% from 2019.

WHELKS IN THE EU. The EU accounted for 70% of global whelk production in 2018. The UK, France, and Romania were the three Member States with highest production. Other major producers were Ukraine, the United States of America (USA), Canada, and Russia.

GLOBAL HIGHLIGHTS. An evaluation of compliance with the landing obligation (LO) in selected fisheries in the Baltic Sea, carried out in 2017 and 2018 by the European Fisheries Control Agency, has found an overall good level of compliance in herring and sprat fisheries.

MACROECONOMIC CONTEXT. Average prices for marine fuel in May 2021 ranged between 0,43 and 0,51 EUR/litre in ports in France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Prices decreased by an average of about 7,1% compared with the previous month.

Monthly Highlights 5/2021 is available in English, French and Spanish.