Sea fishing: drop in landings in April, May and June
In July.2023, 844 tonnes of fish were landed by Belgian vessels and sold in Belgian ports. April, May and June are marked with falling seasonal landings and better prices on average.
Sole remains the most important fish of the Belgian sea fishing industry. With landings of 253 tonnes, it represents 30% of the total landings and 68% of the total landing value of fish landed and sold in Belgium.
Landings of ray and plaice amounted to 83 and 71 tonnes, accounting for contributions of 10 and 8% to total landings.
Squid catches, which peaked in the winter months, are declining to landings of 65 tonnes in July.
The landings of shrimps remained limited to 14 tonnes.
Megrim, showcased as fish species of the year 2023 by VLAM, shows total landings of 97 tonnes in July.
Fish landed by Belgian ships and sold in Belgium
| Fish landed by Belgian ships and sold in Belgium | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | Evolution 2022/2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity of fish sold (in tonnes) | 17,469 | 18,786 | 15,548 | 18,158 | 14,766 | 13,659 | 12,588 | 11,901 | 13,217 | 11.1% |
| Value of fish sold (in million euros) | 63 | 78 | 65 | 67 | 63 | 59 | 56 | 61 | 80 | 30.8% |
| * Source: Statbel (Directorate-General Statistics - Statistics Belgium) based on the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Flemish public authority, AVKD. | ||||||||||
| Traded quantity (in tonnes) | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | Evolution 2022/2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Codfish | 1,697 | 1,589 | 588 | 1,068 | 429 | 353 | 264 | 220 | 82 | -62.7% |
| Whiting | 424 | 298 | 237 | 252 | 195 | 165 | 198 | 179 | 152 | -15.1% |
| Plaice | 4,929 | 4,123 | 3,835 | 5,842 | 4,548 | 3,630 | 2,162 | 2,005 | 1,574 | -21.5% |
| Sole | 3,488 | 3,854 | 3,419 | 2,734 | 1,825 | 2,041 | 2,399 | 2,318 | 2,261 | -2.5% |
| Turbot | 284 | 297 | 272 | 360 | 316 | 267 | 242 | 220 | 178 | -19.1% |
| Lemon sole | 640 | 1,040 | 532 | 706 | 489 | 448 | 348 | 381 | 319 | -16.3% |
| Ray | 1,114 | 1,810 | 1,253 | 1,205 | 1,022 | 1,254 | 1,395 | 1,157 | 1,394 | 20.5% |
| Shrimps | 325 | 436 | 611 | 325 | 830 | 509 | 312 | 362 | 855 | 136.2% |
| * Source: Statbel (Directorate-General Statistics - Statistics Belgium) based on the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Flemish public authority, AVKD. | ||||||||||
| Average price in EUR/kg | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | Evolution 2022/2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Codfish | 2.6 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 15.7% |
| Whiting | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 28.2% |
| Plaice | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 27.7% |
| Sole | 8.3 | 10.1 | 10.5 | 10.4 | 12.1 | 12.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 17.4 | 32.2% |
| Turbot | 9.6 | 11.6 | 11.0 | 10.3 | 11.2 | 11.5 | 10.2 | 13.2 | 16.3 | 22.7% |
| Lemon sole | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 5.7 | 4.9 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 20.4% |
| Ray | 1.9 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 2.5 | -3.9% |
| Shrimps | 4.4 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 1.9% |
| * Source: Statbel (Directorate-General Statistics - Statistics Belgium) based on the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Flemish public authority, AVKD. | ||||||||||
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