Brussels, 08/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - According to the latest version of the European fisheries products observatory, published on 6 January, first-sales value in September 2015 is above the average of the last three years in most reporting countries. It is, however, lower than September 2014 which was a record month.
Spain landed 158,300 tonnes of fresh fish in the period from January to September 2015, a 10% decrease, compared with the same period in 2014.
In France, good results were recorded in the first nine months of 2015 (+6 % in value).
In Denmark, herring, saithe, plaice, and hake were the main contributors to increased first sales in value in the first nine months of 2015 (+16% in value).
In Latvia, all the remaining species, except for cod and European flounder, experienced decreases, which caused an overall decrease during the first nine months of 2015.
In the UK, the decrease in first-sales volume was due mainly to lower landings of mackerel. First sales of lobster totalled €28 million (2,000 tonnes) in the first nine months of 2015 (-4% in value and -13% in volume compared to the same period in 2014). In Italy, retail prices for fresh whole mackerel are on average 50% higher than in Spain. In Finland, retail prices of fresh, whole rainbow trout are the highest of the member states surveyed though exhibiting a slightly decreasing trend. French consumers are buying less fresh cod and salmon. Salmon continues to be one of the species preferred by the British consumer.
Since September 2013, food prices have remained stable, while fish prices have increased by 3%.
Impact of embargo on Russian imports (one year on). Analysing all relevant trade figures published for the first full year after implementation of the Russian ban on EU products, it can be seen that Russian imports of fresh and frozen seafood products declined by nearly 40%. The greatest effect can be seen on salmonid and pelagic species but species like prawn, tilapia and hake also experienced considerable volume decline. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)