- Since 1984 the UK has been a net importer of fish with most recent figures showing a trade deficit of £1.5 billion
- The UK fishing industry was statistically the worst affected industry post-Brexit
- As a newly independent coastal state, the UK has had to renegotiate all longstanding trade deals and fishing quotas associated with the CFP
- The first lockdown was so disruptive to commercial fishing, that UK landing value fell 18% between January – September 2020 and landing prices by 17%
There’s no denying the last few years have been a struggle for most industries. A combination of Brexit, COVID-19 and economic crises have seen a seismic shift in the way we work, live and – in this case – fish. Commercially at least.
In this post we have broken down the current position the UK fishing industry finds itself in, the key factors that have contributed to it and the challenges and opportunities the last few years of flux have produced. The UKs fishing industry has been harder hit than any other and the below is designed to help you understand why that is and what the future holds.
Table of contents
A history of the UK fishing industry
As an island nation it’s no surprise that fishing has played a significant role in the UK’s history, culture and economy for millenia. Fishing has been a way of life for generations in the UK and is one of the oldest professions known to man. The more damaging methods propagated in recent times stem from a long and perpetually winding road full of conflict. Both nationally and internationally.
In the 10th century, archaeologists discovered there was a major shift in the consumption of freshwater fish to saltwater species, which seems to be an early example of fishery expansion after local stocks collapsed thanks to unsustainable management of freshwater systems.
As new technologies were developed and international trade became a more lucrative prospect, seafood became an increasingly important commodity for an island nation and early regulations were put in place by the crown.
In the middle ages, the first stages of the fishing industry’s industrialisation came to the fore with sail-powered ships able to cover much greater distances. In 1376, the first known reference to trawling was made in a letter to King Edward III, asking for it to be banned thanks to its indiscriminate and destructive nature. However as there was no method available to preserve fresh fish at the time, only salted fish could be traded in large quantities.
Sail-powered trawling was the dominant force in the UK fishing industry until the mid-1800s, when the industrial revolution really came to the fore in the form of steam-powered fishing vessels. When coupled with the ability to store fresh fish for longer through refrigeration, the fishing industry skyrocketed. Without the need for sails these trawlers could travel longer, further and catch substantially more fish.
With advancements in the fishing gear used, these vessels were able to catch substantially more than sail-powered vessels. And as the industrial revolution had seen a tremendous advancement in railroads across the UK, storing these fish over ice and transporting them across the country, demand shifted exponentially.
In 1924 Clarence Birdseye (yes that Captain Birdseye) invented a fast-freezing method which, alongside factory advancements in filleting, shifted demand for fish to previously unmatched levels. Just a couple of decades later, factory ships measuring over 100m in length with the capacity to fillet and freeze fish on board with new diesel engines, trawling technology and an ability to spend weeks on the water heralded in the true era of decimation.
By the 1960s, deep sea trawling became a reality. This is so damaging as deep sea species are believed to mature and reproduce at a much slower rate thanks to their almost uninhabitable conditions. These fish just cannot replenish their species fast enough.
In very recent times fishing conflicts have became much more prevalent and violent in nature thanks to the money and trade implications. The Cod Wars between Britain and Iceland began in the 1950s with Iceland increasing their exclusive economic zone, much to the dismay and ire of British fishermen. Mackerel quotas have been hotly disputed (see the Mackerel Wars) and the Scallop War only just preceded Brexit.
Fishing is – and always has been – big business in the UK. Even though it now only makes up under 0.1% of the UKs GDP and has been in decline for decades, it’s a part of the country’s identity that many feel is being stripped away.
What has happened to the UK fishing industry?
The UK fishing industry has gone through a period of frankly outrageous turmoil in recent years. Primarily thanks to changes related to Brexit (as the UK withdraws from the European Union), COVID-19 and the introduction of new protected zones in an effort to promote more sustainable fishing.
There are now 178 protected Marine Protected Areas in the UK. These protected zones cover 51% of inshore and 37% of offshore waters.
Since 1984 the UK has been a net importer of fish with most recent figures showing a trade deficit of £1.5 billion. Whilst this isn’t necessarily a problem (imports and exports are fundamental in worldwide balance and continuous growth), the gap each year is getting wider and wider. Whilst the annual expenditure on fish in the UK has plateaued over the last 20 years at £5 billion, the reduction in total fish landed by UK vessels has decreased by 17.2% over a seven year period (2014 – 2021).
With the UK’s decision to leave the EU decimating foreign workforce and forcing the renegotiation of longstanding trade deals, a short-term period of turbulence was inevitable. However when combined with the Covid-19 pandemic, the impact on the fishing industry in the UK has been catastrophic. Heightened travel restrictions, a reduction in international trade, reduced foreign workforce and reduced demand for seafood have had a significant impact on fishing operations and fish prices.
Adapting to its new status as an independent coastal state will take time. Which is problematic for an industry that has such little time to play with.
Brexit and UK fishing industry
The UK fishing industry was particularly reliant on exporting its goods to the EU. When the UK left the EU, fish exports plummeted by 83%. Quite literally fishing was the worst affected industry.
In the years leading up to and following Brexit, the UK fishing industry faced changes to fishing quotas and a number of sustainability and conservation challenges designed to protect faltering fish stocks that have caused an overall decline in catch weight and profit.
The most recent quotas are much more positive for British fishermen, as British fishermen can catch 30,000 more tonnes of fish than before Brexit. A 27% increase.
In order to ensure that fishing continues to prioritise sustainability now that previous EU commercial fishing laws are no longer followed, the UK government has implemented measures such as the introduction of marine protected areas (MPAs) and the use of more selective fishing gear.
Before Brexit, the UK was part of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which regulated fishing in the EU and set quotas for the number of or weight of fish each member state could catch in specific fishing areas. The CFP also established rules for the conservation of fish stocks and set out measures to ensure that fishing was sustainable. Something I’m sure we all agree is essential in ensuring the continued survival of fish stocks.
As part of its latest reforms in 2013, the CFP became the first legal fishing framework which setout to;
- Assess environmental, economic and social dimensions of fisheries
- Ensure all managed fish stocks adhered to a maximum sustainable yield by 2020
- Effectively manage fisheries in different sea basins
- Manage EU nations individually, transposing these rules into EU law
- Create feet capacity ceilings for EU nations, supporting fleet reduction where necessary
When the UK left the EU in January 2020 and became an independent coastal state, it was no longer bound by the CFP. Whilst this may sound like it had free reign over where it could fish, it is now responsible for managing its own fishing resources, setting its own quotas for fish catches and negotiating its own fishing agreements with other countries. This has caused severe delays and fractious relationships with neighbouring nations. Particularly France.
Why is there a row over fishing rights between the UK and France?
The UK and France have a somewhat chequered history. Well, England and France at least. So this back and forth shouldn’t be a complete surprise. Particularly when you consider France was the UK’s biggest export market for fish in 2021. Whilst unlikely allies in some more recent wars, historically both sides have loved a good scrap. The old adage of a new or struggling UK Prime Minister waging some kind of phony war against the French to garner support still holds a little weight. Although we couldn’t possibly comment on whether that could be the case here.
When the UK left the EU and was no longer bound by the CFP (like all other EU nations), it had to renegotiate fishing rights between neighbouring states individually. Under a post-Brexit trade deal run by the UK Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA), EU members states’ boats need licences to fish in UK and Jersey waters and UK boats need them to fish in the waters of EU member states.
For boats to gain access to UK waters it was stipulated that the vessels prove they have fished in a particular area between 1 February 2017 and 31 January 2020.
This became the crux of the issue as the majority of smaller vessels that come from French harbours (that make up the majority of fishing boats) just don’t store this data. Or at least didn’t back then. And the sorting of legitimate claims by the UKSIA in a prompt manner has caused the escalation of this row.
In October 2021 the UK denied licenses to dozens of French trawlers thanks to their apparent lack of evidence over historical fishing habits. This led to a British trawler being seized by France whilst apparently legally fishing for scallop in the Bay of Seine. Although its legality was hotly contested by French ministers.
What is the relationship now like between the UK and France (in fishing terms)?
In the spring of 2022 the UK and France reached an uneasy agreement. As the UK government denied dozens of fishing vessel licenses in 2020 / 2021, almost all of the licenses requested have been granted with around 1,500 EU boats having access to the UK’s exclusive economic zone, 12 to 200 nautical miles from the coast. A far cry from the initial ‘protectionist measures’ the UK government was accused of taking.
UK vs France – a fishing timeline
- January 2020: The UK leaves the EU
- January 2021: UK vessels will require an external waters licence to fish outside of ‘British Fishery Limits’ (UK EEZ). All foreign vessels are required to have a valid foreign vessel licence issued by the UKSIA to fish in UK waters
- October 2021: The French seized a British trawler fishing in its waters
- 26th November: French fishermen blocked access to French ports for British boats and blocking trucks at the Eurotunnel freight terminal.
- 1st December: Guernsey rejected 15 applications, issuing 40
- 11th December: Jersey granted licenses to 5 additional boats
- 15th December: The UK government received 50 applications for French boats under 12 metres to fish in that zone and that it had only issued 19 licenses
- December 2021: The UK and EU reach agreements on Total allowable Catches for 2022
- January 2022: Temporary licenses for French fishing vessels expire in UK waters
- April 2022: A – largely – accepted truce is agreed and the UK government hands out the majority of requested fishing licenses
What are the post-Brexit fishing laws in and for the UK?
The post-Brexit trade deal outlines a number of new rules on fishing including:
- EU boats will continue to fish in UK waters for some years to come, but UK boats will get an increased share of fish from UK waters
- This transition will occur over a five-year period between 2021 – 2026, with the majority of it frontloaded with annual renegotiations will take place
- Post 2026 the UK can completely exclude EU boats, whilst UK boat access to EU waters will also be under threat
- 25% of EU boats’ fishing rights in UK waters will be transferred to the UK fishing fleet over this five-year period
- The EU fishing quota will be reduced by 15% in year one and 2.5% each subsequent year
- The UK fleet can expect increases in quota for 57 out of the 90 types of fish caught in UK waters every year. But quota shares for some species like Channel cod, of which EU boats (mainly from France) catch more than 90% each year, will remain unchanged.
COVID-19 and the UK fishing industry
The UK fishing industry faced a number of challenges as a result of the pandemic, including disruptions to international trade and supply chains, as well as difficulties in obtaining and retaining labour. The UK fishing industry relies heavily on exports and the closure of borders and restrictions on travel and transportation due to the pandemic had a significant impact on the ability of UK fishing companies to sell their products abroad.
The first lockdown was so disruptive to commercial fishing, that UK landing value fell 18% between January – September 2020 and overall landing prices dropped by 17% over the same period. Combining this with the highly adverse weather conditions seen in early 2020 (February 2020 had three named storms and was the wettest February on record), the fishing industry had no alternative. A crash was imminent.
The closure of borders and restrictions on travel made it difficult for fishing companies to hire foreign workers, who make up a whopping 35% of the UK commercial fishing workforce. Due to poor working conditions, long hours and low pay, fishing has become an unattractive occupation for young people in the UK.
The average fisherman’s salary in the UK is £20,475. Almost half that of the average full-time employee’s salary in the UK.
Of course, the pandemic didn’t just affect the fishing industry in the UK. It had a profoundly negative impact on the overall economy, which made it harder for fishing companies to attract and retain workers and caused the demand for fish – more premium products at least – to decline. As household spending dropped by 20% during COVID-19, fishing wasn’t the only decimated industry. But, thanks to a simultaneous multitude of factors, it was the worst affected.
So what really destroyed the UK fishing industry?
Unfortunately, the fishing industry in the UK has been in decline for many years, with factors such as overfishing, changes in consumer demand, and increased competition from cheaper imports contributing to the sector’s decline.
Alongside Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and the renegotiation of trade deals, quotas and fishing rights, there are several factors that contributed to the decline of the UK fishing industry:
- Overfishing: The UK’s fishing industry has been heavily impacted by overfishing. Anecdotally catches of core UK fish like mackerel have been dropping for years – our trip to the Beara Peninsula confirmed that the use of gil-nets and changing sea temperatures are decimating important species.
- Competition: The UK’s fishing industry faced increased competition from foreign fleets and increased red tape when it came to gaining licenses for EU-owned waters.
- Fishing quotas: The introduction of quotas by the European Union (EU) in the 1970s and 80s meant that UK waters were no longer exclusive to UK fishermen. The incredibly rich Atlantic, Channel and North Sea waters became part of the EU, increasing competition and overfishing.
- Increasing costs: The rising costs of fuel and equipment had a negative impact on the UK’s fishing industry, making it difficult for many smaller businesses to survive.
- Changes in consumer demand: With 600,000 UK adults following a vegan diet and 49% of the UK population reducing their fish and meat intake, as well as increased awareness of the environmental impacts of fishing, led to a decline in demand for fish.
- Deregulation of the industry: The deregulation of the fishing industry in the 1980s and 1990s allowed for larger fishing companies to dominate the market, causing a drop in the number of fishing vessels of around 60% between 1985 and 2022
- Cheaper imports: With the expansion of global trade, countries such as China and Thailand are able to produce fish at a much lower cost than the UK, leading to a reduction in the demand for UK-produced fish.
18 UK fishing industry statistics
- Since 1984 the UK has been a net importer of fish with most recent figures showing a trade deficit of £1.5 billion with a weight of 305,000 tonnes.
- It is estimated that between 60-80% of UK domestic landings are exported. In 2021, imports were highest for salmon (117,500 tonnes £672 million); tuna (113,500 tonnes, 16%); and cod (85,400 tonnes, £428 million)
- The main exports were salmon (113,200 tonnes, £723 million), mackerel (54,100 tonnes, £96 million) and herring (15,600 tonnes)
- Shellfish (all types combined) accounted for 17% of fish exports out of the UK by weight (58,200 tonnes), but for 27% of exports in terms of value
- According to the ONS, in 2021, the sector contributed around 0.03% of total UK economic output
- The average fisherman’s salary in the UK is £20,475. Almost half that of the average full-time employee’s salary in the UK
- Foreign workers make up 35% of the UK commercial fishing workforce
- Whilst the annual expenditure on fish in the UK has plateaued over the last 20 years at £5 billion, the reduction in total fish landed by UK vessels has decreased by 17.2% over a seven-year period (2014 – 2021).
- France was the UK’s biggest export market for fish in 2021, accounting for 46.3% of the UK’s export trade. The USA is the second largest with 12.8%, then Spain with 4.9%.
- In 2020, just under 70% of economic output from the fishing and aquaculture industry was generated in Scotland.
- In March 2021, there were 4,150 fishing businesses registered in the UK
- The estimated total turnover of the UK fishing fleet was £923 million in 2021, a 7% increase compared to 2020, but lower than the 2019 total of £1,014 million
- The total number of fishers in the UK was around 11,000 in 2021, down from around 20,000 in the mid-1990s. In 2021, 53% of fishers were based in England and Wales, 40% in Scotland, and 8% in Northern Ireland.
- The UK has seen a drop in the number of fishing vessels of around 60% between 1985 and 2022
- The first pandemic lockdown was so disruptive to commercial fishing, that UK landing value fell 18% between January – September 2020 and overall landing prices dropped by 17% over the same period
- 74% of vessels covered sample were financially impacted by the first COVID-19 lockdowns at home and abroad
- The number of fishing vessels in the UK fleet has fallen by 33% since 1996
- The EU fishing quota will be reduced by 15% in year one and 2.5% each subsequent year for non-UK vessels in UK waters
- More than 1,500 licenses have been handed out to EU boats allowing them to fish in UK waters
- There are now 178 protected Marine Protected Areas in the UK. These protected zones cover 51% of inshore and 37% of offshore waters.
UK fishing industry imports and exports
According to the UK’s Marine Management Organisation, the fishing industry in the UK exported 350,000 tonnes of seafood in 2021 with a value of £1.6 billion. In order of quantity exported, France, the USA and the Netherlands were the UK’s most valuable partners. The top three exported species were salmon, mackerel and herring.
Mackerel, herring, nephrops and scallops are unique in that the UK has a net positive trade gap with these species.
The fishing industry in the UK imported 655,000 tonnes of seafood with a value of £3.1 billion in the same year. Norway, China and Iceland were the largest exporters of fish to the UK, with salmon, tuna and cod the most in-demand species. This trade gap of 305,000 at a value of £1.5 billion tonnes is the largest on record.
The value of UK trade in fish fell notably in 2020 and 2021, owing to disruptions to international trade caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, as well as disruptions to UK-EU trade following the end of the Brexit transition period in January 2021. Trade in fish has increased in 2022 – in January-July 2022 (the most recent data that is available), the value of UK fish exports was 12% higher in cash terms than in the equivalent period of 2021, while the value of imports was 20% higher.
FAQs
How much does the fishing industry contribute to UK GDP?
According to data from the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS), the fishing industry contributed approximately £1.36 billion (around $1.81 billion) to the UK’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018. This represents around 0.1% of the total UK GDP.
Is fishing a big part of the UK economy?
Fishing is a relatively small part of the UK economy, accounting for about 0.03% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) as of 2021. This is slightly lower than usual thanks to the impact Brexit and COVID-19 has had on the fishing industry.
What is the value of the UK fishing industry?
The value of the UK fishing industry varies from year to year and depends on a variety of factors such as the price of fish, the availability of fish, and the demand for fish. According to data from the UK government, in 2019 the UK fishing industry had a value of approximately £1.4 billion (around $1.9 billion). This value includes both the value of the fish that are caught as well as the value of the associated industries, such as fish processing and fish farming.
How much of the UK economy is fishing?
Fishing accounts for a very small percentage of the UK economy, estimated at around 0.03%. The majority of the UK’s seafood is imported, with domestic production accounting for just 12% of the country’s seafood consumption.
Why has the UK fishing industry declined?
The fishing industry in the UK has been in decline for many years, with overfishing, the renegotiation of quotas and restrictions, changes in consumer demand, reduction in the free movement of workers into the UK and increased competition from cheaper imports have all played a role in the sector’s decline.
