JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE - EU SCIENCE - The Irish Fishing Fleet faces uncertainty due to Brexit

In 2019, the Irish fleet recorded a gross profit. Gross Value Added, gross profit, and net profit decreased since 2018 driven by reduced value of landings. In addition to the disruption that Brexit has brought to the markets, the UK’s decision to leave the EU continued to bring uncertainty for the Irish seafood industry in 2020 with fears over loss of access to UK waters and difficulties in importing and exporting seafood to and from Ireland.

date: 09/02/2022

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The 2021 Annual Economic Report on the EU Fishing Fleet confirms that in 2019, the fleet maintained overall profitability. The report projects similar profitability levels for 2020, despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fleet segments operating in the North-Eastern Atlantic, where most fished stocks are managed at sustainable levels, registered higher economic performance than those operating in the Mediterranean, Baltic and Black Sea regions, where many stocks still face overfishing. These results provide evidence that there is a strong link between sustainable fishing, economic performance, better salaries and new job opportunities in our coastal communities.

The Report gives an overview of the structure and economic performance of the 22 coastal EU Member State fishing fleets. It is the result of combined work by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee of Fisheries (STECF) and the European Commission. In this context, JRC provides and analyses data.