Belgian sea fishing: decrease in landings and turnover for the second year in a row
In 2024, 11,423 tonnes of fish were sold in Belgian ports, compared to 12,302 tonnes in 2023. This is a decrease of 7.1%, according to the new data from Statbel, the Belgian statistical office. These landings by Belgian ships accounted for a turnover of 69.02 million euros, i.e. a decrease of 8% compared to the 75.03 million euros registered in 2023.
Zeebrugge has the largest market share
The quantity of fish landed and sold in Belgium is the largest in the port of Zeebrugge, with 55.2% of all fish. The share of the port of Ostend is 43.3%. The port of Nieuwpoort has the smallest share of 1.5%.
In addition to the fish that is landed and sold in Belgian ports, a portion of the fish caught by Belgian ships is sold in foreign ports. In 2024, 3,134 tonnes of fish were landed in foreign ports. Foreign ports accounted for 22% of the landings of the Belgian fishing fleet, generating a turnover of 14.77 million euros. The Dutch ports are the most important with 12.8%, followed by the Danish ports (6.3%), the Spanish ports (2.6%) and to a limited extent the French ports (0.3%).
Together with the fish marketed abroad, the total catch for the Belgian fleet amounted to 14,557 tonnes in 2024. This is a decrease of 7.3% compared to 2023. The total value of the fish caught by the Belgian fleet was almost 84 million euros, compared to almost 90 million in 2023.
Sole is the most important fish species in Belgian ports
In 2024, sole retained its position as the most important fish species Belgian fisheries in terms of landed value (32.8 million euros), despite a 16.4% decrease in landings compared to 2023. The drop in landings was partially offset by an increase in the average output price (from €17.5 per kg in 2023 to €18.2 in 2024). The share of sole in the total landed value in Belgian ports therefore fell from 50.5% in 2023 to 47.6% in 2024.
Cuttlefish came in second place in terms of landed value (11.5 million euros). This is an increase of 17.1% compared to 2023. With a quantity of 2,838 tonnes, this was the most landed fish in Belgian ports. Monkfish, plaice and ray completed the top 5 in terms of landed value.
After the shrimp reached a low in terms of landed quantity in 2023, it rose by 61.5% in 2024 to 314.7 tonnes, generating a turnover of 2.3 million euros.
| Landings and sales (kg) | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 vs 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sole | 3,702,739 | 2,960,854 | 2,709,116 | 2,524,130 | 2,434,921 | 2,255,634 | 1,872,131 | -17.0% |
| Cuttlefish | 632,212 | 1,056,885 | 1,518,767 | 1,164,841 | 2,036,010 | 2,489,702 | 2,840,284 | +14.1% |
| Anglerfish | 358,062 | 375,293 | 604,423 | 699,742 | 697,203 | 666,910 | 621,926 | -6.7% |
| Plaice | 5,004,666 | 7,395,562 | 3,682,603 | 3,418,848 | 2,306,759 | 2,313,485 | 1,907,074 | -17.6% |
| Norway lobster | 158,551 | 581,184 | 603,324 | 686,198 | 596,425 | 404,869 | 522,718 | +29.1% |
| Turbot | 317,527 | 415,935 | 297,398 | 266,320 | 218,192 | 230,044 | 228,888 | -0.5% |
| Shrimp | 1,563,501 | 745,948 | 590,242 | 598,635 | 1,088,149 | 249,737 | 464,533 | +86.0% |
| Ray | 1,290,998 | 1,235,731 | 1,549,510 | 1,262,026 | 1,490,888 | 1,228,485 | 1,099,690 | -10.5% |
| Shellfish | 798,890 | 758,639 | 505,735 | 511,470 | 608,417 | 625,809 | 688,799 | +10.1% |
| Lemon sole | 654,572 | 796,025 | 581,897 | 598,810 | 439,723 | 551,162 | 369,649 | -32.9% |
| Landed value (€) | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 vs 2023 |
| Sole | 39,159,156 | 30,606,983 | 31,437,929 | 32,793,930 | 42,011,253 | 39,411,659 | 33,965,763 | -13.8% |
| Cuttlefish | 1,570,043 | 3,091,170 | 5,328,212 | 3,703,687 | 8,426,694 | 9,788,738 | 11,465,398 | +17.1% |
| Anglerfish | 3,429,868 | 3,996,077 | 4,581,421 | 5,527,660 | 6,043,294 | 5,734,213 | 5,555,947 | -3.1% |
| Plaice | 6,382,073 | 11,524,219 | 8,300,648 | 8,336,679 | 7,348,399 | 7,262,189 | 5,089,350 | -29.9% |
| Norway lobster | 807,033 | 3,858,937 | 2,676,832 | 3,970,896 | 4,563,006 | 2,983,336 | 4,064,595 | +36.2% |
| Turbot | 3,503,769 | 4,293,585 | 2,955,897 | 3,505,578 | 3,495,147 | 3,574,749 | 3,494,177 | -2.3% |
| Shrimp | 4,167,223 | 3,302,863 | 2,542,396 | 2,722,667 | 5,879,243 | 2,194,002 | 3,243,620 | +47.8% |
| Ray | 2,802,962 | 2,643,237 | 2,749,360 | 3,217,347 | 3,693,712 | 3,153,589 | 2,809,729 | -10.9% |
| Shellfish | 1,811,362 | 2,375,828 | 866,765 | 1,482,123 | 2,685,070 | 2,160,407 | 2,568,371 | +18.9% |
| Lemon sole | 2,803,547 | 4,555,883 | 2,170,726 | 2,403,944 | 2,134,744 | 2,876,281 | 2,157,406 | -25.0% |
| Average price (€/kg) | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 vs 2023 |
| Sole | 10.6 | 10.3 | 11.6 | 13.0 | 17.3 | 17.5 | 18.1 | +3.8% |
| Cuttlefish | 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.0 | +2.7% |
| Anglerfish | 9.6 | 10.6 | 7.6 | 7.9 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.9 | +3.9% |
| Plaice | 1.3 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.7 | -15.0% |
| Norway lobster | 5.1 | 6.6 | 4.4 | 5.8 | 7.7 | 7.4 | 7.8 | +5.5% |
| Turbot | 11.0 | 10.3 | 9.9 | 13.2 | 16.0 | 15.5 | 15.3 | -1.8% |
| Shrimp | 2.7 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 8.8 | 7.0 | -20.5% |
| Ray | 2.2 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.6 | -0.5% |
| Shellfish | 2.3 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 2.9 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 3.7 | +8.0% |
| Lemon sole | 4.3 | 5.7 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 4.9 | 5.2 | 5.8 | +11.8% |
Purpose and brief description
Quantity and value of the fish landed and traded in Belgium. Distribution according to the ports of supply and the fish species
Population
All sea fishing boats
Frequency
Monthly
Timing publication
Results available 3 months after the reference period.
Definitions
Total amount kg : Quantity of fish supplied and traded
Total value EUR : Value of fish supplied and traded