April 29, 2014
EU’s Most Wanted
A new report released by the European Commission paints a broad overview of European fisheries. Here are some key facts for you:
- Despite a shrinking EU fleet – with less fishing capacity in the past – many EU stocks are still overfished.
- In the Mediterranean and Black Seas, the number of stocks considered to be fished at sustainable levels has dropped since 2010.
- Spain captures the most fish in the EU, with blue shark accounting for the greatest share of catches. This species is fished in all of the world’s major oceans – with no catch limits or management measures.
According to the report, these are the most captured species in EU fisheries. It’s a lot of fish, no doubt – and the ones highlighted are just a fraction of the more than 800 species taken by EU fleets:
Click on each image to enlarge.
Number 1: Herring, 509 951 tonnes
Number 2: Sprat, 413 415 tonnes
Number 3: Mackerel, 376 333 tonnes
Number 4: Sandeel, 335 023 tonnes
Number 5: Sardine, 307 963 tonnes
Number 6: Horse mackerel, 159 756 tonnes
Number 7: Cod, 146 634 tonnes
Number 8: Jack and horse mackerels, 133 531 tonnes
Number 9: Anchovy, 126 115 tonnes
Number 10: Round Sardinella, 123 600 tonnes
Number 11: Skipjack tuna, 121 056 tonnes
Number 12: Yellowfin tuna, 102 132 tonnes
Number 13: Blue shark, 100 270 tonnes
Number 14: Hake, 85 256 tonnes
Number 15: Plaice, 82 668 tonnes