In 2023, the total fish catch in the European Union was estimated at 3.3 million tonnes across seven marine areas covered by EU statistics.
This continues the downward trend since 2018, when 4.6 million tonnes were recorded.
According to Eurostat data released on World Fisheries Day, Spain’s fishing fleet accounted for just over one-fifth of the EU’s total catch in 2023, with 698,000 tonnes (21%), followed by Denmark (15%; 495,000 tonnes) and France (14%; 470,000 tonnes).
Approximately 72% of the EU’s total catch came from the Northeast Atlantic. Key species caught in this region included herring (18%), blue whiting (16%), sprat (13%), and mackerel (10%). Denmark’s fleet accounted for 21% of the EU catch in this area, followed by France (15%) and Spain (11%).
Nearly 10% of the EU’s total catch was from the Mediterranean and Black Seas, with sardines (19%) and anchovies (18%) as the main species. The Italian fleet led with 37% of the EU’s catch in this area, followed by Greece (20%), Croatia (18%), and Spain (17%).
Catches in the Western Indian Ocean represented 6% of the EU’s total. Tuna accounted for the vast majority (94%) of the weight caught by the EU fleet. Spain’s fleet led with 68% of the EU’s catch in this area, with France accounting for 30% of the remainder.
Another 6% of the EU’s total catch came from the Eastern Central Atlantic. Key catches in this area included tuna and mackerel. Spain (40%), France (16%), and the Netherlands (11%) had the largest shares of the EU’s catch in this region.
Only 6% of the EU’s total catch came from the remaining three marine areas: the Southwest Atlantic, Southeast Atlantic, and Northwest Atlantic.