EUMOFA Monthly Highlights No. 5/2021 is online

This month’s issue analyses first sales of Atlantic herring (Poland, Latvia, Estonia) and Atlantic horse mackerel (Portugal, Spain, Netherlands). The case studies of this month are: “Fisheries and catch in Greenland”; “Canned sardine and sardine-like products in the EU”.

FIRST SALES IN EUROPE. In January–February 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom recorded a decrease in both first-sales value and volume. The most recent weekly (up to week 14 of 2021) and monthly (February 2021) data for first sales in Europe can be accessed on the EUMOFA website.

FIRST SALES OF ATLANTIC HERRING AND ATLANTIC HORSE MACKEREL. From March 2018 to February 2021, the weighted average first-sales price of Atlantic herring in Poland was 0,28 EUR/kg, 54% higher than in Latvia (0,18 EUR/kg), and 53% greater than in Estonia (0,18 EUR/kg). Over the same period, the weighted average first-sales price of Atlantic horse mackerel in Portugal was 1,19 EUR/kg, 46% higher than that of Spain (0,82 EUR/kg), and 25% greater than that of the Netherlands (0,95 EUR/kg).

EXTRA-EU IMPORTS. Since the first week of January 2021, prices of frozen redfish from Iceland have exhibited a slight downward trend, while volume remained relatively stable.

CONSUMPTION. France and Spain are among the EU Member States with the highest per capita apparent consumption of fisheries and aquaculture products. Over the past three years (March 2018 – February 2021), total household consumption of fresh monk in France (11.664 tonnes) was 65% lower than in Spain (33.580 tonnes). The most recent weekly (up to week 12 of 2021) consumption data can be accessed on the EUMOFA website.

FISHERIES AND CATCH IN GREENLAND. In 2020, fisheries from Greenland's trawler and purse seine fleet (offshore fleet) amounted to 133.289 tonnes valued at 330 million EUR. This was a 4% increase in volume and a 6% increase in value from 2019. Northern prawn, Greenland halibut, mackerel, and Atlantic cod accounted for 88% of overall volume and 97% of value.

CANNED SARDINE AND SARDINE-LIKE PRODUCTS IN THE EU. In 2019, EU production of canned sardine, sprat and sardinella amounted to 73.669 tonnes, a 30% decrease compared to 2009. The main EU producers were Poland (22%), Spain (20%), Latvia (17%), Portugal (13%), France (12%) and Croatia (9%). Spain, Portugal, Croatia, and France mostly produce canned sardine whereas Poland and Latvia focus on canned sprat.

GLOBAL HIGHLIGHTS. On 22 April 2021, the EU and Greenland signed a new sustainable fisheries partnership agreement (SFPA) and protocol to strengthen their cooperation on fisheries matters.

MACROECONOMIC CONTEXT. Average prices for marine fuel in April 2021 ranged between 0,39 and 0,47 EUR/litre in ports in France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Prices decreased by about 2,3% compared with the previous month.

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