Information on data
Data releases
Yearly data are released based on the following time schedule:
| Topic | Time |
|---|---|
| Fishing fleets | April and October for reference year T-1, meaning that in April 2023 data for reference year 2022 is released |
| Catches by fishing region | September for reference year T-1 |
| Landings in ports | September for reference year T-1 |
| Aquaculture production | February / March for reference year T-2 |
Data collections
The statistics are compiled by the EU countries, candidate countries, Norway, and Iceland. Eurostat is responsible for harmonising the concepts and definitions, validating the national data, publishing the national data, and calculating the EU aggregates.
Catches
Each EU country submits to Eurostat statistical data about the nominal catches by vessels registered in or flying the flag of that country.
Data are available broken down by the fishing areas of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations:
| Name | Fish area code |
|---|---|
| Atlantic, Northwest | 21 |
| Atlantic, Northeast | 27 |
| Atlantic, Eastern Central | 34 |
| Mediterranean and Black Sea | 37 |
| Atlantic, Southwest | 41 |
| Atlantic, Southeast | 47 |
| Indian Ocean, Western | 51 |
Data is available for all fishery products landed or transhipped at sea in no matter what form, for example in their original state, salted, gutted, smoked, etc.
The following aspect are excluded from the reported data:
- quantities which are discarded at sea after capture
- quantities consumed on board
- quantities used as bait on board
- aquaculture production
- catches from wild for on-growing in aquaculture plants
Data are expressed in tonnes of live weight.
Aquaculture
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms, such as fish, molluscs, crustaceans, aquatic plants, crocodiles, alligators, turtles, and amphibians. It occurs in both inland and marine areas.
‘Farming’ means some form of intervention takes place in the rearing process to enhance production, such as regular stocking, feeding or protection from predators. It also implies individual or corporate ownership of the stock that is being cultivated.
The available data cover the following aspects:
- production volumes and unit values of aquaculture, excluding nurseries and hatcheries
- production volumes and unit values of fish eggs for consumption at first sale
- production volume and input to capture based aquaculture
- production volumes of hatcheries and nurseries
The following aspect are included in the reported data:
- fishery products from aquaculture for consumption
- seaweeds for all purposes
- catches from wild for on-growing in aquaculture plants
The following aspect are excluded from the reported data:
- catches from wild for other purposes than on-growing in aquaculture plants
- aquarium species
- ornamental species
- fishery products from aquaculture for purposes other than consumption
Data are expressed in tonnes of live weight, in million, 1000 cubic meters or hectar, depending on the dataset.
Landings
Each EU country submits to Eurostat statistical data on the fishery products landed on its territory by fishing vessels registered in the EU, Norway or Iceland.
Data are available on the landings of fishery products which:
- arrive into the EU country's ports by fishing vessels or other ships, which are part of the fishing fleet, carrying the flag of the country
- arrive into the EU country's ports by fishing vessels or other ships, which are part of the fishing fleet, carrying the flag of an EU or EFTA country
- arrive into the ports of non-EU and non-EEA countries by fishing vessels carrying the flag of the reporting country and which will be transported further to an EU country, Norway or Iceland.
The data exclude landings of fishery products which:
- arrive into the port of the country, which collects and reports the data, by any vessels carrying the flag of a non-EU or non-EFTA country
- arrive into ports of a non-EU country nor into Iceland and Norway by any vessel, except if the products will be transported to an EU or EEA country
- arrive into ports of another EU country, Iceland or Norway by vessels carrying the flag of the country which collects and reports the data
- arrive into overseas territories' ports or inland ports
- arrive by the freshwater fisheries country, country which collects and reports the data, or by that country's non-commercial fisheries
In addition, aquaculture production is excluded as well.
Data are expressed in tonnes of product weight and broken down by FAO fishing areas.