The European Fisheries Fund and the EU fish processing industry. An economic analysis

The fisheries and aquaculture primary sectors were intended to be the focal point of the European Fisheries Fund (EFF); the large amount of public money committed to fish processing and marketing under the EFF between 2007 and 2014 may thus have given cause for concern for EU policymakers. Yet the EFF aimed to support the sustainable development of the entire EU fisheries industry, of which fish processing is an important and often integrated component.

In 2012, the EU fish-processing sector generated almost twice the gross value added (GVA) of the fishing fleet, and five times that of aquaculture. Additionally, fish processing employed almost as many people as the fish catching sector, and twofold as many as the aquaculture industry. In absolute terms, a large amount of EFF money is channelled into the fish processing sector as compared to that allocated to the fish catching and aquaculture sectors; however, in relative terms, the amount is significantly lower.

This study analysed the amount of EFF funds averaged by unit of employment and unit of GVA. Overall, EU fish processing received 54 % less support per unit of employment and 70 % less support per unit of GVA. At Member State level, the aid per unit of GVA for processing and marketing was higher only for Malta, and this was the case per unit of employment only for Greece, Italy, Cyprus, Malta and Portugal.