EUMOFA has recently published the third edition of the study “Blue bioeconomy report”

The report is released every two years and this edition aims to provide an updated overview of the European Union’s blue bioeconomy sector focusing on micro- and macroalgae cultivation systems, examination of potential of seaweed as blue carbon and of the sargassum seaweed as well as on whether seaweed farming can transform regional economies. Overview of latest developments of micro- and macroalgae cultivation systems: Seaweed farming and harvesting are still very small-scale in Europe – despite 36% of entries in a global seaweed industry database being in Europe, many are start-ups not yet commercially operational. Europe has vast areas suitable for seaweed and macroalgae cultivation[1];[2] , but it only accounts for less than 0,25% of global human-led seaweed production (farming + harvesting). Besides the EU hosts significant wild seaweed ecosystems that play a crucial role in the marine carbon cycle. Seaweed acts as a net sequestrator of CO2 worldwide, potentially matching levels of sequestration from tidal marshes, mangroves and seagrass ecosystems combined. Possible actions to integrate seaweed in climate policies include conservation, restoration and farming, with potential positive effects on both climate and the environment. There is a growing demand for seaweed products that producers cannot fulfill due to a variety of factors (knowledge silos, lack of data transparency, unpredictable production cycles, inefficient supply chains, complex regulatory frameworks), all of which disincentivize risk averse investors and businesses.Pelagic sargassum plays a crucial role in marine ecosystems, serving as hotspots for biodiversity and productivity in otherwise substrate poor, low-nutrient open-ocean waters. Yet the use of Sargassum around the world is limited to certain niche areas, and there is no real market for the time being. The full study is available in English.

International trade data: EUMOFA webinar video and presentation available

The European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture products (EUMOFA) has released the video recording and other material from its webinar on international trade data.
A video recording of the webinar with English, French and Spanish subtitles is now available on the EUMOFA website. The collection also includes the presentation and the summary of discussions with replies to questions raised during the seminar.The webinar focused on how to extract import and export volumes, values and prices of each species traded by the nearly one hundred countries covered by EUMOFA, the world’s most comprehensive and publicly accessible trade database on fisheries and aquaculture products. It also included tips on how to use the database to view trade flows between countries and understand market phenomena.

Coronavirus response: EUMOFA’s weekly data and trends analysis

The fishery and aquaculture sectors are among the most immediately impacted by the crisis. EUMOFA is releasing a weekly COVID-19 bulletin in order to inform the sector as quickly as possible on the evolution of the markets along the entire value chain, based on the most recent data on first sales, production and trade of fishery and aquaculture products. The data and analyses proposed are accurate to EUMOFA experts’ best knowledge but are of course subject to availability of information in the short-term and to intrinsic volatility of the current situation.
In week 15, available first-sales data for a handful of EU Member States shows increase in first-sales prices for several groundfish and flatfish species. The increase in first-sales prices can be due to increase in demand for the Easter holidays. However, it should be noted that volumes sold at first-sale stage were in general low, and at local level some species still suffered marked decline in prices.
In Spain, at the end of week 15, CEPESCA and FEDEPESCA report that more than 50% of fisheries and almost 100% of distribution are still active. Prices at first sale, although volatile, are recovering.
In France, fishing activity and landing volumes are still low, but some smaller auctions have reopened yet with limited activity. FranceAgriMer data on weekly auction sales (excluding the Mediterranean) show that, compared with week 14, volume were stable (+2%, mostly due to a strong increase of scallop volumes) and average prices slightly increased (+9%). Trends vary a lot across species.
In five Danish auctions (Hanstholm, Hirtshals, Strandby, Grenaa and Skagen), daily average volumes were slightly higher over the three working days in week 15 compared to the five days in week 14. Prices showed an increasing trend in week 15, with large variations across species.

EUMOFA: Everything you want to know EU fisheries and aquaculture, in one place

The European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA) is a platform developed by the European Commission that offers information on the European Union fisheries and aquaculture sector.Here you can access market information, such as price surveys, market analyses and studies. The website, recently revamped, is available in all EU 24 languages and open to everybody.EUMOFA is a very useful tool to both specialists and the general public. You can get instant access to the latest industry data, an impressive portfolio of studies and reports, market overviews at EU and Member State level and much more. A library section contains around 600 publications which can be sorted by topic, country, fish species and language. You can also subscribe to the Monthly Highlights magazine, read the annual report – “The EU fish market” – or consult ad-hoc analyses on specific market issues (e.g. studies on EU consumer habits, the EU organic aquaculture sector).To discover all services available, visit http://www.eumofa.eu and subscribe to the newsletter to stay updated.

Case study: Seabass in the EU

EUMOFA (European market observatory for fisheries and aquaculture products) has recently published the Price Structure Analysis “Seabass in the EU”. In 2016, the production of farmed seabass reached 191.000 tonnes globally. Out of this, 82.000 tonnes were farmed in the EU, 81.000 tonnes in Turkey, 24.000 tonnes in Egypt and 4.000 tonnes in the remaining countries. In the last 10 years (2007-2016) production increased much faster in Turkey (+93%) and in the other third countries (multiplied by 14) than in the EU (+35%), where seabass farming growth had taken place a few years before (late 1990s-early 2000s). However, the EU aquaculture production of seabass reached its higher level ever in 2016. Greece (43.000 tonnes) and Spain (23.000 tonnes) represent 80% of the EU total output.In contrast, wild seabass production decreased in the same period, by 46% globally and by 39% at EU level, mostly due to the strong decline of the resource in the Atlantic. With 5.300 tonnes in 2016, the EU represents 93% of world catches. In spite of a strong decline of its catches over the period, France is still leading the EU production.Overall the apparent market (production + imports – exports) for seabass amounts to 97.000 tonnes, which are mostly consumed fresh. The top-3 markets, Italy, Spain and France, represent more than 70% of total EU consumption. The annual consumption per capita is 190 grams on average but exceeds 500 grams in a few Mediterranean countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus). Trade for seabass is mainly intra-EU and reached 55.000 tonnes in 2016, but extra-EU imports from Turkey multiplied by 2,5 between 2012 and 2016.The focus on Greece, Croatia and Spain shows specific market features in each of the three MS. While seabass is mostly exported in the case of Greece and Croatia, it is mainly sold on the domestic market in Spain. Farmed seabass is found as whole fresh fish at retail in all countries, first and foremost in large-scale retail outlets. Wild seabass is a high-end product, interesting more fishmongers and restaurants; its price can exceed 25 EUR/kg while the farmed seabass generally remains below the 10 EUR/kg mark. Thanks to lower labour and operating costs, the retail price of the Croatian farmed seabass is at the same level as the Greek price, in spite of a higher ex-farm price and a higher VAT rate.