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2020 was a difficult year for fishery industry companies

News 15.6.2022

In the fishery industry as well, 2020 was an exceptional year, because the coronavirus pandemic caused market disruptions in fish trade, and restaurants were closed for part of the year. In fishery sectors, revenue decreased in 2020, being the lowest in nearly ten years. The total revenue of fishery industry companies amounted to EUR 845 million, and the industry provided 2,517 annual work units of employment. With its net results of EUR 7.4 million, fish wholesale was the most profitable sector in the fishery industry.

A total of 1,860 companies operated in the fishery industry in 2020. The data concern companies that are engaged in commercial fishery, aquaculture, fish processing, wholesale and retail. For inland fishery, statistics only include class 1 commercial fishermen. Of all fishery industry companies, some 70 per cent were fishing companies, with most of these being small companies operating in coastal areas.

Fish processing and the wholesale of fish accounted for the majority of total revenue. The total revenue of the fishery industry amounted to EUR 845 million. In fishery sectors, revenue was mainly lower than in 2019 and, in wholesale and retail, in particular, revenue decreased steeply by roughly a quarter. In addition, fishing revenue decreased from 2019 to approximately EUR 48 million. Inland fishery accounted for some EUR 13 million of the revenue. Aquaculture revenue remained nearly unchanged, while the processing value decreased significantly.

The net result of marine fishery was EUR 5.3 million, but fish wholesalers recorded the best net result (EUR 7.4 million). Inland fishery companies produced a net result of EUR 1.4 million. The net result of fish processing fell clearly short of the previous years’ level, being less than EUR 2 million. The net result of retail remained at EUR 0.3 million, while aquaculture companies produced a loss of EUR 10.6 million.

The processing value produced by the fishery industry was EUR 135 million, and it provided 2,517 annual work units of employment. The sector with the highest revenue was fish processing. Fish processing companies also had the largest number of personnel. In fish processing and marine fishery, the processing value remained at the previous year’s level. In aquaculture, wholesale and retail, the processing value decreased significantly from 2019.