Managing fleet capacity is an essential part of ensuring sustainable fishing, one of the main objectives of the common fisheries policy. The EU fishing fleet is very diverse, with vessels ranging from under 6 metres to over 75 metres. Under EU law the total capacity of the fishing fleet needs to remain below set ceilings. Any decommissioning of vessels or reduction in fleet capacity achieved with public financial support must be permanent.
| Length | Number of vessels | Gross tonnage | Engine power in kW | Average age IN YEARS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| < 12 | 69 480 | 174 778 | 2 484 888 | 32.5 | |
| 12-24 | 9 306 | 379 159 | 1 705 293 | 31.0 | |
| > 24 | 2 467 | 996 982 | 1 875 016 | 26.3 | |
| TOTAL | 81 253 | 1 550 919 | 6 065 198 | 29.9 | |
NB: Length refers to total length.
Source: EU fleet register. Situation as at December 2019.
Over the past several years the capacity of the EU fishing fleet has continued to decline in terms of both tonnage and engine power. The number of EU vessels in 2019 was 81 253, i.e. 5 505 fewer than in 2013. Nevertheless, the capacity of several fleet segments in the Member States is still not in balance with their fishing opportunities. The Member States concerned must adopt action plans to remedy this situation.
Healthier stocks contribute to a more sustainable industry. Overall, the EU fleet was profitable in 2019. This consolidates the gradual recovery in recent years, during which both gross profit and net profit margin of the fleet have shown an upward trend.
| Number of vessels | % | Gross tonnage | % | Engine power in kW | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BE | 68 | 0.1% | 12 914 | 0.8% | 42 808 | 0.7% |
| BG | 1 842 | 2.3% | 6 044 | 0.4% | 53 703 | 0.9% |
| DK | 2 082 | 2.6% | 71 541 | 4.6% | 209 335 | 3.5% |
| DE | 1 315 | 1.6% | 57 732 | 3.7% | 129 328 | 2.1% |
| EE | 1 743 | 2.1% | 15 715 | 1.0% | 46 778 | 0.8% |
| IE | 1 924 | 2.4% | 61 156 | 3.9% | 179 462 | 3.0% |
| EL | 14 934 | 18.4% | 71 104 | 4.6% | 426 431 | 7.0% |
| ES | 8 886 | 10.9% | 332 787 | 21.5% | 777 264 | 12.8% |
| FR | 6 262 | 7.7% | 173 974 | 11.2% | 960 746 | 15.8% |
| HR | 7 605 | 9.4% | 44 036 | 2.8% | 345 090 | 5.7% |
| IT | 12 060 | 14.8% | 146 271 | 9.4% | 930 502 | 15.3% |
| CY | 811 | 1.0% | 3 712 | 0.2% | 38 729 | 0.6% |
| LV | 670 | 0.8% | 17 991 | 1.2% | 35 737 | 0.6% |
| LT | 139 | 0.2% | 40 658 | 2.6% | 47 300 | 0.8% |
| MT | 916 | 1.1% | 6 502 | 0.4% | 72 956 | 1.2% |
| NL | 731 | 0.9% | 99 091 | 6.4% | 245 470 | 4.0% |
| PL | 827 | 1.0% | 32 326 | 2.1% | 80 220 | 1.3% |
| PT | 7 791 | 9.6% | 86 945 | 5.6% | 344 925 | 5.7% |
| RO | 165 | 0.2% | 1 533 | 0.1% | 6 350 | 0.1% |
| SI | 137 | 0.2% | 673 | 0.04% | 8 801 | 0.1% |
| FI | 3 201 | 3.9% | 15 619 | 1.0% | 170 547 | 2.8% |
| SE | 1 211 | 1.5% | 24 547 | 1.6% | 143 753 | 2.4% |
| UK | 5 933 | 7.3% | 228 047 | 14.7% | 768 963 | 12.7% |
| EU-28 | 81 253 | 100% | 1 550 919 | 100% | 6 065 198 | 100% |
Source: EU fleet register. Situation as at December 2019.
