Spodsbjerg harbor on Langeland in rural Denmark ©Frankix/stock.adobe.com/oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu

EU Fishing Fleet Sails to Recovery: €567 Million Profit Projected for 2025

EUROPEAN UNION
Monday, December 01, 2025, 08:00 (GMT + 9)

Sustainable Quotas and Lower Fuel Costs Drive Economic Rebound

The European Commission has released its 2025 annual economic report on the European Union fishing fleet, projecting a significant rebound in the sector's financial health. Operating profits for the EU fleet are expected to reach €567 million in 2025, marking a positive trend that surpasses the results of both 2023 and 2024.

Trends on landings in weight and value and average landed price. Source: Member States data submissions under the 2025 Fleet Economic data call. (click on the image to enlarge ot)

2023 Performance Snapshot

The report, produced by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) and the European Commission, offers a detailed look at the fleet's performance. In 2023:

• The fleet consisted of 53,300 active vessels.

• It employed more than 155,200 people.

• Landings totalled approximately 3.39 million tonnes of fish.

• The value of these landings was about EUR 6.13 billion.

Commissioner Hails Progress

Costas Kadis, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, expressed optimism about the findings:

“I'm glad to see a positive trend in the EU fleet performance, which is linked to moving in the right direction with sustainable fisheries... When we stick to science-based quotas and let fish stocks recover, we see improvements in the economic health of our fleet and better remuneration for those working in the sector.”

Key Drivers of Improvement

The Commission report attributes the positive economic trend to several factors, highlighting the economic benefit of conservation policies and energy efficiency:

• Progress in Sustainable Fish Stocks: Better managed fish stocks lead to larger populations, resulting in bigger catches and increased profits. Evidence shows that conservation is economically beneficial.

• Adjustment in Fishing Capacity: Fewer operating vessels mean higher profits per vessel, particularly in fleets that have aligned their capacity with fishing opportunities.

• Decrease in Fuel Prices and Consumption: Lower operating costs directly boost profits. From 2013 to 2023, the fuel consumption per kg of fish caught declined by 11%. The Commission plans to support further decarbonisation and modernisation efforts through the Energy Transition Partnership for the sector.

Variations on landings in weight and value and average landed price (based on 2013=100). Member States data submissions under the 2025 Fleet Economic data call. (click on the image to enlarge ot)

Persistent Challenges Remain

Despite the positive outlook, the report underlines several structural challenges faced by the EU fleet:

• Structural Problems: Further capacity adjustment is needed in fleets dependent on overexploited stocks, which suffer poor economic performance and job losses.

• Aging Vessels: A significant number of ships in the EU fleet are old and inefficient.

• Generational Renewal: Low profitability and low wages in many fleets are making it difficult to attract young people to fishing careers.

• Regional Disparities: Economic performance and crew salaries vary significantly, mirroring the stock status and overcapacity issues across different sea basins and fisheries.

Trends for the top six species landed in weight and in value. Member States data submissions under the 2025 Fleet Economic data call. (click on the image to enlarge ot)

Looking Ahead to Vision 2040

The findings of this report will be used to inform the development of the Vision 2040 for fisheries and aquaculture, which the European Commission is set to propose in 2026 as part of the European Ocean Pact.

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