Expanded German Fishing Quotas for 2024 Experiencing Slight Revenue Dip - Fisheries in Germany exhibited an increase in catch volumes in the year 2024, yet revenues showed a minor decrease.
In the realm of fisheries, the economic fortunes of German fishermen have been under scrutiny, with recent reports indicating a decline in revenue despite an increase in catch, particularly in the North East Atlantic.
The primary fishing area for German vessels remains the North East Atlantic, where the catch has been on the rise due to increased quotas. However, the revenue generated from this increased catch has not followed suit, leading to a conundrum for the industry.
The most frequently caught fish species in the North East Atlantic is herring, accounting for 37.2 percent of the catch. Despite a significant increase in herring landings, from 35,198 to 60,483 tonnes, the revenue for German fishermen has decreased.
The decline in revenue is not solely attributed to the North East Atlantic, as the Baltic Sea has been a significant source of revenue pressure. The collapse of western Baltic herring and cod stocks has led to severe catch restrictions and quota reductions, contributing to the economic hardship in these sectors.
The decline in revenue is not a simple matter of reduced volume. Market price fluctuations, export and import dynamics, processing and distribution costs, policy and quota adjustments, and economic and social pressures all play a role. For instance, an oversupply of herring on the market could depress prices, or increased catch may not translate to higher revenue if export markets are weak or import competition is strong.
In Germany, only 13,488 tonnes of fish were landed in coastal states, with the majority (approximately 149,041 tonnes) being landed in foreign ports, worth 133 million euros. The composition of landings consists mainly of cheaper fish like herring, sand eel, or redfish. The largest shares of the sold and stored goods in Germany were mackerel (27.0%), edible crab (25.3%), and black cod (15.1%), with high-priced fish like edible crabs, king crab, or turbot accounting for a smaller portion.
Denmark received 16.8% of the sold and stored goods, while the Netherlands secured more than three quarters (76.4%) of these goods. Norway received 3.4%.
The BLE department head, Lutz Wessendorf, oversees the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food. Despite the decline in revenue, Wessendorf emphasises the importance of sustainable fishing practices and the need for continued support for the industry.
In conclusion, if German fishermen did experience increased herring catches in the North East Atlantic in 2024, a concurrent revenue decrease could result from depressed market prices, increased supply from other regions, or higher operational costs. However, current evidence highlights that revenue decline is largely driven by stock collapse and management restrictions in the Baltic, not by increases in catch elsewhere. The Baltic context dominates current discussions of revenue and catch dynamics.
- The decline in revenue for German fishermen, despite an increase in herring catch in the North East Atlantic, might be due to factors such as market price fluctuations, export and import dynamics, or higher operational costs, underscoring the need for a comprehensive approach in the Community policy to address these issues.
- Founded on the collapse of western Baltic herring and cod stocks, severe catch restrictions and quota reductions in the Baltic Sea have significantly contributed to the economic hardship in the German fishing industry, necessitating the Common Fisheries Policy's intervention and active measures to bolster the business sector's financial health.
