Fisheries and aquaculture

According to estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, global production of aquatic animals amounted to approximately 178 million tonnes in 2022. Of this, 90 million tonnes (51%) came from wild capture fisheries, while the remaining 88 million tonnes came from aquaculture. Marine waters accounted for 63% of the total production (FAO 2022).

At the EU level, total aquatic production from fisheries and aquaculture in 2022 exceeded 4.5 million tonnes, representing around 2% of the global volume (EUMOFA 2024). This made the EU the ninth-largest seafood producer worldwide. However, European production of fisheries and aquaculture products has been on a slight downward trend in recent years (Eurostat).

Belgium’s commercial fishing fleet consists of 64 vessels (2022), divided into a small fleet segment (<221 kW) and a large fleet segment (>221 kW). The sector engages in mixed fisheries, targeting multiple stocks simultaneously, with a specialisation in flatfish. In 2022, sole and plaice accounted for 14.4% and 13.7%, respectively, of the total landed fish volume. Squid and rays followed, with shares of 13.3% and 8.9%, respectively.

In 2023, the Flemish commercial fishing industry generated a total landing value (the revenue from fishery products caught and sold at public auction) of 90 million euro (15,921 tonnes). Domestic ports accounted for 83% of this landing value. In addition to commercial fisheries, various forms of recreational fisheries also take place, both offshore and onshore.

The Belgian aquaculture sector is small but diverse, with an annual production of approximately 200 tonnes for human consumption, primarily fish, valued at around 1.3 million euro. Off the coast of Nieuwpoort, a sea farm is dedicated to cultivating mussels for consumption.

The areas where these activities are permitted are determined by the Marine Spatial Plan (MSP, Royal Decree of 22 May 2019, see also Verhalle and Van de Velde 2020).

More information on these topics can be found in the thematic chapters Fisheries and Marine Aquaculture of the Compendium for Coast and Sea, the publication KustINzicht 2025, and the website recreatievezeevisserij.be.