Summary of the final report of the study "Employment in the fisheries sector: current situation (FISH/2004/4)"

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1 Summary of the final report of the study "Employment in the fisheries sector: current situation (FISH/2004/4)" The report presents data on employment in the fisheries sector and its three sub-sectors (fishing, fish processing and aquaculture) in 25 EU Member States and 121 coastal NUTS-2 regions as well as indications of employment by gender, type of fishing (coastal offshore), ownership (owners deckhands), age and part-time full time involvement in fishing. Furthermore the report offers indications of income levels. The report elaborates main trends which determine the employment outlook of these industries. EU overview 1. The total employment in the fisheries sector amounted in 2002/2003 to about persons. About one third are women, who are mostly employed in the fish processing industry. 2. There were some 205,000 persons working on board fishing vessels. The number of fishermen has been decreasing by 4-5% per year. In 2005 there were about ,000 fishermen in EU The number of people working in the fisheries sector is most numerous in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean areas, 42% and 28% of the total. 4. Spain, Greece and Italy account for almost 60% of all people working in fishing. The numbers of fishermen are also substantial in France and Portugal. The fish processing industry employs most people in Spain, France and the United Kingdom, and to lesser extent in Germany and Poland. Aquaculture is most pronounced in France and in Spain. 5. Some 95,000 fishermen work on board coastal vessels, while 110,000 fishermen are active on offshore fleet. About 20% of the employment on board is part time, mainly in the coastal fisheries. 6. The large population of many NUTS-2 regions reduces the relative dependence of these regions on fishing. Galicia is indisputably the most important fisheries region in the EU in terms of absolute number of people working in the fishing sector, showing also one of the highest dependency rates. Other regions, showing a dependency rate over 1% and with number of persons working in the fisheries sector in access of 5,000 are in France (Bretagne, Poitou-Charente, Basse-Normandie), UK (N-E Scotland), Estonia. Latvia, Portugal (Algarve) and Poland (Pomorskie). Several small NUTS-2 regions show high dependence in Greece. 7. There are marked differences in the structure of employment in the fisheries sector. In the North Sea and Baltic region about 30% of people working in the fisheries sector are on board fishing vessels, 65% work in the processing industry and about 5% in aquaculture. On the other hand, marine fishing is much more important in the Atlantic areas and in the Mediterranean, with a relative share of 46% and 76% respectively. Atlantic areas have also a major fish processing industry. Processing in the Mediterranean represents only 14%. Atlantic aquaculture accounts for 22% of the employment in the fisheries sector while in Mediterranean this is 10%. 8. The three sub-sectors face a number of major problems and challenges: - Fishing: increasing fuel costs, crew shortages and limitations of quota and fishing effort; - Processing: lack of raw material, high labor costs and competition from non-eu imports. - Aquaculture: increasing competition from imports, technological progress, depressed prices, environmental regulations and user conflicts 1 This is sum of full time and part time, not full time equivalents. French DROM regions are excluded in this summary. 1

2 Table 1. EU overview employment by country and fisheries sub-sector, Member State Total employment (*1000) Total fisheries sector Fisheries sector as % of total employment Fishing Processing Aquaculture Austria a) 3, % Belgium a) 4,070 1, % Cyprus 327 1, % Czech Rep. 4,701 2, % 100 2,167 Denmark 2,707 14, % 4,258 8, Estonia 594 6, % 2,500 4, Finland 2,365 2, % 900 1, France b) 24,584 64, % 21,436 21,676 21,600 Germany a) 35,927 16, % 1,972 11,404 3,033 Greece 4,042 37, % 30,196 3,360 4,145 Hungary a) 3,922 1, % 150 1,530 Ireland 1,797 10, % 5,147 3,439 1,998 Italy 22,054 47, % 38,157 6,708 3,092 Latvia a) 1,007 10, % 3,670 6, Lithuania 1,433 6, % 2,550 3, Luxemburg Malta a) 148 1, % 1, Netherlands 8,121 9, % 2,547 6, Poland 13,617 19, % 4,500 13,423 2,000 Portugal 5,118 33, % 20,457 6,300 6,472 Slovak Rep. 2,162 1, % Slovenia % Spain a) 16,695 92, % 53,849 27,000 11,928 Sweden a) 4,314 3, % 1,912 1, United Kingdom 28,696 33, % 11,774 18,180 3,580 Total 193, , , ,102 65,365 - male 310, ,231 64,944 44,978 - female 111,165 8,621 82,158 20,386 a) ; b) incl. Drom. Table 2. Classification of the NUTS-2 regions according to the role of the total fisheries sector, Number of employed persons in the fisheries sector Fisheries sector as % of total > 10,000 7,500-10,000 5,000-7,500 2,500-5,000 employment > 2.0% Es: Galicia Pt: Algarve UK: NE Scotland Gr: Sterea Ellada, Voreio Aigaio, Notio Aigaio % Fr: Bretagne Lv: Latvia % Dk Denmark Es: Andalucia It: Sicilia Fr: Poitou-Charent. Pl: Pomorskie Ee: Estonia Fr: Basse-Normandie It: Puglia Es: Pais Vasco Gr: Kentriki Makedonia Pt: Açores UK: Highl. and Islands; E. Riding, N. Lincoln. Ie: Border, Midl., West. Es: Cantabria; De: Bremen Gr: Peloponnisos, An. Maked., Thraki Pl: Zach. Pomorskie Es: Canarias, Murcia Fr: Lang.-Roussillon It: Sardegna, Calabria 2

3 North Sea - Some 51,800 persons are employed in the fisheries sector of the North Sea, of whom only 15,100 in fishing, 35,100 in fish processing and 1,600 in aquaculture. - Denmark and North Eastern Scotland have the largest number of people employed in the fisheries sector. - Denmark, N-E Scotland, Bremen and East Riding are the four areas with most people working in fish processing industry. Baltic Sea - About 54,400 persons are employed in the fisheries sector of the Baltic, of whom 17,200 in fishing, 33,500 in fish processing and 3,700 in aquaculture. - Latvia is the most important fisheries area in all respects. - Almost 70% of all people working in the fisheries sector can be found in the coastal regions of the new Member States. Atlantic area - Almost 179,000 persons are employed in the fisheries sector in the Atlantic areas, of whom 82,900 in fishing, 55,800 in fish processing and 40,100 in aquaculture. - Galicia is the most important fisheries area in terms of dependence (4.1%, 45,500 people). Seven other areas show a dependency rate on total fisheries sector of 1-2%. Employment on Azores and in Algarve have the highest dependence rates on the fisheries sector in the EU. - Three areas show a dependence rate on marine fishing in access of 1%: Azores (3,4%), Galicia (1.9%) and Algarve (1.0%). - In 11 areas the fisheries sector employs more than 5,000 people. Bretagne is important for its employment in the fish processing (7,400 people). - Aquaculture is a major employer in Galicia, Poitou-Charente and Algarve. Mediterranean - Almost 118,000 persons are employed in the Mediterranean fisheries sector, of whom 89,800 in fishing, 16,300 in fish processing and 11,800 in aquaculture. - Eight regions show a dependence rate on total fisheries sector of more than 1%. Seven of these regions are in Greece. The dependence is particularly high in Voreio Agaio (6.6%), Ionia Nisia (3.4%) and Notio Agaio (3,3%). By far most of these people are employed in marine fishing. Fish processing and aquaculture are of minor importance. - High numbers of people working in the fisheries sector can be found in Sicily (12,000), Catalonia (6,800) and Puglia (6,400). These are also the areas with the highest numbers of people working in fish processing. Trends in marine fishing The employment on board fishing vessels in the EU-15 has decreased from about 240,000 in 1998 to about 190,000 in 2003, i.e. by 21%. In view of this trend, it is estimated that in EU-25 approximately 190,000 fishermen were employed on board in Employment on board EU fishing fleet is a result of demand for fishermen on one hand and their availability (labor supply) on the other. The demand for fishermen is determined by the size of the fleet, the labor intensity of the technology used and the profitability of the vessels. The willingness to work on board (supply of labor) is determined by a complex interaction of social and economic factors. The main reasons for apparently diminishing interest to work on board fishing vessels are 3

4 deterioration of earnings, restrictive regulations affecting the perception of free life at sea, poorer outlook of becoming vessel owner, improved employment prospects outside fishing, disappearance of traditional life styles and higher appreciation of social life on shore. Consequently enrollment in fisheries schools has been falling since many years Fishing fleets in many countries are experiencing structural shortage of crews. Consequently size of the crews has been reduced to a minimum required for safety and technical reasons and labor saving technologies have been introduced. In some areas owners of larger fishing vessels have contracted foreign crews from non-eu countries. Demand for labor is determined by the size and composition of the fleet. The number of vessels in the EU-15 has decreased from about 95,000 in 1998 to about 83,000 in 2005, i.e. by 24% 2. The decrease in kw en GT amounted to approximately 10-15%. Fleet reduction accounts for about 40% of the loss of employment on board. Employment in fishing in specific European areas has been seriously affected by termination of the fishing agreements with third countries, in particular with Morocco and Angola. EU trends - prices and TACs The economic dynamics of the marine fisheries are determined by the potential production values of the TACs. Figure 1 shows trends in prices and volume and value of TACs divided into three main groups 3. Prices of high value demersals have increased while prices of the other two groups have remained quite constant. The catching opportunities of high price demersals have decreased from 260,000 tonnes to 200,000 tonnes, mainly due to lower TACs of hake and anglerfish. Since 2003 there has been some recovery. The TACs of low price demersals have decreased substantially from 820,000 to 500,000 tonnes, mainly due to deterioration of cod and plaice stocks. The TACs of pelagic species have deteriorated from 1.7 mln to 1.4 mln tonnes, but increased again to over 2 mln tonnes in 2005, as blue whiting and herring recovered. The value of low price demersals has decreased by almost 500 mln Euro. The value of high price demersals is in 2005 about 10% below 1999 level. The value of pelagic TACs has increased by about one third. Since 2003 there is a overall improvement: the fall of the low price demersals has come to an end, while the other two groups of species experienced a marked rise. Still the total nominal value of all TACs has decreased from 2.7 bln Euro in 1999 to 2.3 bln Euro in 2005, which is 14%. When inflation 4 would be accounted for, the decrease would be 24%. Potential value of TACs represents about 50% of the total value of EU landings in the North Sea, Baltic Sea and the Atlantic areas. The total number of fishermen in the EU-15 has decreased by about 21% and the total value of production by 7% as landings of some non-quota species increased. Consequently the value of landings per man increased by 18%. 2 These figures are based on the Annual Economic Reports of 1999 and EU fleet register of April Low price demersals are cod, plaice, dab, haddock, megrim, Pollack, northern prawn, saithe, anchovies and whiting; High price demersals are anglerfish, hake, sole, Norway lobster and turbot; Pelagics are herring, horse mackerel, mackerel and blue whiting. 4 Average EU inflation was 2.2% per year between 1999 and (Eurostat) 4

5 Eur / kg Average prices tonnes 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000, ,000 0 Total TACs mln EUR 1,200 1,100 1, Value of TACs Low price demersals High price demersals Pelagics mln EUR Aggregated value of TACs 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, Low price demersals High price demersals Pelagics Figure 1. Prices, volumes and values of main TACs, Trends in fish processing In 2002/2003 the EU fish processing industry employed 147,000 people. Total employment in this sector has remained approximately constant over the past decade, although the situation differs between Member States and between sub-segments. Increasing demand for seafood in the EU results in new business opportunities. Problems facing the industry are primarily related to labour costs, raw material supply, competition from imports and the small average size of the companies. The EU market for seafood is increasing by about 1.5% per year. More than 50% of the EU fish consumption depends on imports from third countries. This creates new opportunities for processing and trade particularly in innovative value added products in terms of convenience and health. Fish has become one of many ingredients used to meet changing consumer preferences. EU primary processors are faced with difficult economic situation. Decreasing TACs intensify competition for raw materials. At the same time imports from low wage countries and consolidation of large European retail chains depress price levels and profit margins. The average size of many EU fish processors is relatively small to respond to the changing business climate. Large retail chains require deliveries of sufficient volumes of standard products at competitive prices. Productivity and efficiency must be therefore continuously increased. Global competition for raw materials forces companies to focus on global sourcing. Many processors are too small to implement a full-grown product and process innovation strategy required to meet the standards of their large clients, who also impose strict environmental and quality standards. Labor costs oblige processors to transfer their activities to low wage countries. Clearly in this context small companies face major disadvantages compared to large ones. Further consolidation also in the EU fish processing industry can be expected. Trends in aquaculture Total EU aquaculture production increased from 1.1 mln tonnes in 1994 to 1.4 mln tonnes in 1998 but remained more or less constant since. The increase was entirely due to seawater culture. The growth of European aquaculture was relatively slow. On global scale output from aquaculture doubled. The sector 5

6 employed some 65,400 people. The total employment has remained relatively stable although some shifts have occurred at country level. Labour productivity increased by about 3% per year. The principal aquaculture products of the EU are fish (trout, salmon, seabass, seabream), and molluscs (mussels, oysters and clams). Table 4. EU aquaculture production (mln tonnes) EU Freshwater Brackish water Seawater Source: Eurostat, New Cronos Table 5. EU value of aquaculture production (mln Euro) EU-25 1,864 2,769 France Italy United Kingdom Spain Greece Germany Netherlands Other countries Source: Eurostat, New Cronos The total value of aquaculture production increased by 49% between 1993 and 2003 to 2.8 bln Euro. Aquaculture constitutes 17% of the volume and 27% of the value of the total fishery production of the Union. The main producing countries are France, Italy, UK, Spain and Greece, accounting for 80% of aquaculture output in These are also the countries with largest employment in aquaculture. Main challenges of EU aquaculture are decreasing prices due to high global competition, limited availability of space in coastal areas and complex environmental regulations. Traditional freshwater aquaculture faces a difficult economic situation. This sector is not sufficiently attractive for a new generation of entrepreneurs. Fishermen s education The required educational level is reflected by the composition of the fleet with some 90,000 vessels of which 74,200 are smaller than 12 m. The coastal fleet employs 95,000 fishermen, about 70% them in southern EU Member States. For this group educational requirements are either limited of non-existent and regard mainly seamanship and basic safety at sea - skills which are obtained in practice. Only a small number of fishermen work on some 600 vessels over 40 m where specific individuals possess specialized education. Consequently, the required number of these specialists is rather limited. Tasks and responsibilities on board fishing vessels of m can be largely distinguished between officers (skipper, mate, mechanic) and deckhands. This fleet employs some 40-45,000 officers and about 65-70,000 deckhands. The deckhands carry-out relatively unskilled work, for which physical health and ability to work under harsh conditions at sea are of decisive importance. In some countries they have to attend short courses on seamanship and safety at sea. Officers must meet higher requirements regarding seamanship, safety at sea, navigation, radio/radar communication, etc., some of which are specified in international agreements. On large merchant vessels captains and mates are required to hold also mechanics certification and in the fishing industry such trend can be expected as well. Most important technological development in fishing occurred in relation to the information and communication technology (ICT) and various applications of electronics for navigation, fish finding, etc. 6

7 The fisheries schools across the EU have been adapting to the new conditions. Wider variety of short courses has been developed. Curricula have been adapted to new technologies. In some countries mobile education has been developed to reach students who could not attend otherwise. Integration in general maritime education increases the future employability. Despite these initiatives the number of students entering fisheries education is structurally decreasing. Foreign workers in the fishing industry Registration of foreigners employed in the EU fishing industry is limited or non existent. Some data are available for a few countries only. Foreign employment on board varies from 3% in Portugal to nearly 10% in Spain, France and Netherlands. The total number of foreign workers in the EU can be estimated 5-10,000. Foreign employment is generally high in regions where supply of cheap labour is near at hand, e.g. in southern EU and on vessels operating in 3 rd countries. Employment of foreigners is expected to increase in the future. Pavel Salz,