A total of 11,423 tonnes of fish were sold in Belgian ports last year, 7.1% less than the 12,302 tonnes sold in 2023, new data from Belgian statistics office Statbel shows.
According to Statbel, Belgium’s marine fisheries declined in both landings and turnover for the second year in a row. In 2024, turnover totalled €69.02 million. This is 8% less than the €75.03 million recorded in 2023.
Among Belgium’s main fishing ports, Zeebrugge remains the largest, accounting for 55.2 % of all fish and seafood landings, followed by Ostend (43.3 %) and Nieuwpoort (1.5 %).
In addition to fish landed and sold in Belgian ports, some 3,134 tonnes of fish were landed in foreign ports, representing 22% of the Belgian fishing fleet’s landings last year and generating a turnover of €14.77 million.
Dutch ports led the way, accounting for 12.8 % of the Belgian fleet’s landings, followed by ports in Denmark (6.3 %), Spain (2.6 %) and France (0.3 %).
Landings in foreign ports
Landings in foreign ports resulted in a total catch of 14,557 tonnes for the Belgian fleet worth around €84 million, down from €90 million in 2023, Statbel said.
In value terms, caviar remained the largest species (€32.8 million), despite a 16.4 per cent drop in landings year-on-year. Cuttlefish was the most fished species by weight and ranked second in value, up 17.1 per cent. Monkfish, flounder and ray rounded out the top five in terms of value landed.
Shrimp landings rose sharply, increasing by 61.5% to 314.7 tonnes, generating revenues of €2.3 million.
