Food and Agriculture Organization

Techno-Economic Performance Review of Selected Fishing Fleets in Europe Food and Agriculture Organization

This review presents the findings of country-level studies of fishing fleets in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It includes financial and economic information for 42 fishing fleet segments, including demersal trawlers, purse seiners, pelagic trawlers, long-liners, coastal fishing vessels using passive gears, pots and traps fishing vessels, and small-scale hand-liners. Analysis of the costs and earnings data of major fishing fleet segments in Europe in 2016 showed that all types of vessels had a positive gross cash flow. The average net profit margin of the fishing fleet segments analysed was very good at 20 percent. Eighty-five percent of the fleet segments presented a positive return on fixed tangible assets of 10 percent and higher. However, 38 percent of the fleet segments demonstrated return-on-investment percentages lower than 10 percent. Comparing the 2016 financial and economic performance results with those of some of the same fleet segments included in the 2002-03 review study, it is clear that general fishing fleet performance in Europe improved. All eight countries together saw a decrease in the number of fishing vessels between 2008 and 2016 of 10 percent, from nearly 60 000 to fewer than 54 000 vessels. Each of the countries also saw a reduction in total fleet capacity in gross tonnage and kilowatts. The vessel age structure showed an increasing trend for most of the fishing fleet segments.