In 2019, the EU fishing fleet numbered 73 983 vessels with a combined gross tonnage of 1.33 million tonnes and engine power of 5.3 million kilowatts. Based on data submitted by Member States under the EU MAP, there were 57 236 active vessels in 2019 offering direct employment to 129 540 fishers, corresponding to 92 298 FTEs; on average earning EUR 23 620 in wages, annually. The EU fleet spent 6.0 million days-at-sea and consumed 2.0 billion litres of fuel to land 4.05 million tonnes of seafood with a reported value of EUR 6.3 billion. The Gross Value Added (GVA) and gross profit (all excl. subsidies and fishing rights) were estimated at EUR 3.4 billion and EUR 1.25 billion, respectively. GVA as a proportion of revenue was estimated at 53% and gross profit margin at 20%. With a total net profit of almost EUR 0.6 billion in 2019, 9.0% of the revenue was retained as profit. These results indicate a deterioration compared to 2018 while nowcast estimates suggest that the performance of the EU fishing fleet will be moderately (if compared to 2019) and heavily (if compared to 2018) deteriorated in 2020 and 2021, although partially outweighed by the reduction in fuel costs in 2020. This publication includes: 1) a structural and economic overview of the EU fishing fleet in 2018 and trend analyses for the years 2008-2021 where possible (nowcasts for 2020 and 2021); a regional analysis of the EU fishing fleet by major sea basin, as well as, fleets operating in the EU Outermost Regions and in Other Fishing Regions; 3) a detailed structural and economic overview of each Member State fishing fleet, including qualitative economic performance assessments for 2019 and nowcasts for 2020 and 2021.

This report was originally published by the European Commission here.