The shocks that made the EU fisheries and aquaculture market tremble

For many Europeans, fish is a meal at home, is a nice dinner at the restaurant on a special occasion, is the star of the Sunday lunch table. But behind all this, lies a complex system that has been under intense pressure in recent years. A new report by the European Market Observatory for fisheries and aquaculture products (EUMOFA) shows how a series of crises - the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine - have reshaped Europe's fish and seafood sector.

Between 2019 and 2024, Europe's seafood supply chain faced three major shocks in quick succession. First came the COVID19 pandemic, which shut down restaurants and disrupted global transport. Then came Brexit, adding new border checks and delays between the EU and the UK. Finally, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine sent energy prices soaring.

Each of these events hit the sector in different ways, but together they created a 'perfect storm.' Supply chains were disrupted, costs rose sharply, and consumer habits changed unpredictably.

From fresh to frozen

During the COVID19 pandemic, demand for fresh fish dropped suddenly as restaurants closed. At the same time, supermarket sales surged. People began buying more frozen and canned fish, products that last longer and are easier to store.

This shift did not fully reverse after the pandemic. Even today, many households continue to favour convenience and affordability. With rising prices, consumers have become more cautious, often choosing more affordable options or cutting back on seafood consumption.

New administrative burdens and control with Brexit

Brexit brought more lasting and structural changes. From 2021, reduced fishing quotas, new health checks, and more paperwork made trade more complex and costly. Fresh and chilled products were hit the hardest, as delays at borders disrupted fast delivery systems.

While EU support helped cover some immediate costs-especially in Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France-administrative requirements remained higher, particularly for smaller businesses and EU member states. For many companies, changing transport routes, including relying less on the UK land bridge, became a permanent rather than a temporary adjustment.

Russian war of aggression against Ukraine: the high cost of energy

Fishing boats rely heavily on fuel. Fish farms need electricity to run pumps and feeding systems. Processing plants depend on energy for refrigeration, packaging, and transport. When energy prices surged after 2022, the impact rippled across the entire system.

The result? Increased operating costs for fishing vessels, aquaculture installations, processing plants, cold storage, and transport. These rising costs and the high inflation reduced people's purchasing power, leading them to choose more affordable seafood products with a longer shelf life.

The crisis has shown how important energy is for competitiveness and resilience. The EU aquatic food sector is still very sensitive to fuel and electricity prices, as well as energy-intensive transport, showing how dependent it is on fossil fuels. To become more resilient, the sector will need not only more diversified supply chains and sustainable production, but also a more decisive energy transition across fleets, aquaculture, processing, and cold storage.

A sector that adapts

Despite these challenges, the seafood sector has shown resilience. Companies have adapted. They increased their focus on frozen, pre-packed, and value-added products to better cope with market uncertainty and transport disruptions.

Digitalisation also grew quickly: online sales, direct-to-consumer channels, and digital traceability tools became more common.

Supply chains became more diversified, with less reliance on UK transit routes and, in some cases, on Russian raw materials. At the same time, investment in cold storage, automation, and energy-efficient technologies increased, driven by rising costs and the EU's sustainability goals.

The new normal

Overall, the EU fishery and aquaculture sector has become more adaptable, more digital, and more aware of risks than before. However, it now operates in a very different environment, with higher costs, changed trade relationships, and consumers who are more sensitive to prices.

A return to pre-2020 conditions is unlikely. Instead, the sector is moving into a new normal, where resilience, sustainability, and diversification are no longer just responses to crises, but key factors for long-term competitiveness and supply security.

2026: the situation in the Middle East

While the study is not covering 2026, it is important to mention that the situation in the Middle East since 28 February 2026 has severely disrupted global energy and commodity markets.

Attacks on energy infrastructure and the; significant disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have caused a sudden and significant increase in global oil prices and disrupted global trade flows. These disruptions are having a material and lasting impact on the EU fishery and aquaculture sector.

To support the EU fishery and aquaculture sector, the European Commission has activated the crisis mechanism of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) , allowing EU countries to provide financial compensation to fishers, aquaculture producers, processors and retailers whose livelihoods have been disrupted by the consequences of the conflict in the Middle East. This mechanism was last activated in 2022 following the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

The emergency support measures, introduced on 16 April and retroactively applying from 28 February 2026, were pre-allocated under the 2021-2027 EMFAF programme, leaving around €760 million of the initial €1.3 billion still immediately available.

The 2026 crisis highlights once again the structural vulnerability of a sector dependent on fossil fuels. Accelerating the energy transition remains essential for the long-term competitiveness, resilience and profitability of the EU fishery and aquaculture sector.

Background

EUMOFA will present the results of the study at Seafood Expo Global 2026 in Barcelona on 22 April 2026. The EUMOFA Talk "Navigating uncertainty: building a resilient EU market for fisheries and aquaculture products" will explore market adaptation, the role of policy and innovation, and emerging opportunities for building a stronger, more resilient EU seafood sector.

The talk is free and open to all. More information is available on EUMOFA's webpage.

The European Market Observatory for fisheries and aquaculture products (EUMOFA) is a market intelligence tool on the European Union fishery and aquaculture sector, developed by the European Commission. It aims to increase market transparency and efficiency, analyses EU markets dynamics, and supports business decisions and policy-making.

EUMOFA enables direct monitoring of volumes, values and prices of fishery and aquaculture products, from the first sale to retail stage, including imports and exports. Data are collected from EU countries, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway, the United Kingdom and from EU institutions, and are updated every day.

More information

Study: Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit and the Russian War of Aggression against Ukraine on the EU Fishery and Aquaculture Sector

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