And for more real-time information on the seafood market in Europe, check out the new and improved EUMOFA website.

The website of the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA) has gained new functions and a new design. The constant interaction with and data input by the EU countries result in a more reliable database, in all 24 official EU languages. The new format allows for user-friendly browsing on both computers and mobile devices. EUMOFA is a unique, dynamic and responsive market intelligence tool. It produces analyses and reports that focus on five stages of the supply chain, and case studies on price formation in different EU countries.

Again, in 2015, the EU proved to be a major seafood consumer. While consumption has been dropping by 2kg per person per year since 2008, household expenditures on seafood keeps increasing. This means that EU consumers buy less seafood but spend more for it, which points to an increase in fish prices but also to a change in consumption patterns. Consumption is dominated by captured fish, which accounts for 3/4 of the total. Tuna, salmon and cod remain the most popular products (2kg per capita respectively).

The EU is the largest trader of fishery and aquaculture products in the world in terms of value. Values of EU imports have been increasing steadily since 2009, at an average rate of 6% per year, reaching EUR 21 billion in 2014. We import at least 4 times more seafood than meat in value, and the delta may still widen.

The main supplier is still Norway (1/4 of the total) largely selling us fresh salmon and cod. Norway's exports to the EU have increased by 70% since 2009.

EU exports, amounting to EUR 4.3 billion and 2 million tonnes in 2014, have gained 70% in value as compared to 5 years ago.

The EU self-sufficiency for seafood (that is, production relative to internal consumption) dropped continuously until 2011 but regained some ground in 2012 to reach 44,5%.

Retail prices of fish and seafood have been on a steady increase for the last few years, and growing faster than meat and other food. However the pace has been slowing down since 2012.

The report on the EU's fish market 2015 has just been published on website of the European market observatory for fisheries and aquaculture products (EUMOFA).

It is available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

New services are now available on EUMOFA website: availability in 24 EU languages, more data, longer times series, new graphics and design.