Netherlands

The netherlands in the world and in the EU

In 2023, the Netherlands ranked 4th in the EU-27 in terms of fishery production and 8th for farmed production.

Fishing fleet

Landings

Landings comprise the initial unloading of any fisheries products from on board a fishing vessel in a given Member State. They include aquatic plants and species not destined for human consumption. Landings are recorded in net weight and value, and concern landings made by vessels from EU Member States, Iceland, Norway and the UK.

Landings in the Netherlands are destined for human consumption only. In 2023, 82% of landings included frozen whole/gutted products, 15% included fresh whole/gutted products and 3% included cooked products.

There are 53 fishing ports registered in the Netherlands (source: EU Master Data Register, 03 December 2025).

Main commercial species landed and % of total
2023, million euros (nominal value) and 1.000 tonnes

Aquaculture

Aquaculture consists in the farming of aquatic (fresh or saltwater) organisms, such as fish, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants. Aquaculture data are reported in live weight equivalent and value.

In 2023, most of the Dutch production occurred in sea and brackish waters. The following main production methods were used:

• 79% of production: on bottom in sea and brackish waters;
• 4% of production: off bottom in sea and brackish waters.

The rest of production used other methods for which no detail is available.

Main commercial species farmed and % of total
2023, million euros (nominal value) and 1.000 tonnes

Producer organisations

Source: European Commission, List of the recognised producer organisations in the fishery and aquaculture sector

In the Netherlands, 10 producer organisations (POs) and 1 association of POs are formally recognized. Their role is to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and of the Common organisation of the markets (CMO) through the collective management of their members' activities.

Of the 10 POs, 9 operate in the fishery sector and 1 in aquaculture. The association of POs operates in the fishery sector.

First sales

First sales concern the fish that is sold or registered at an auction center or to registered buyers or to producer organizations (PO). First sales may differ from landings since the former do not cover fish that is landed by vessels owned by processing companies or direct sales to processors.

Twelve auctions exist in the Netherlands, covering demersal species and mussels. Seven of them are PEFA-auctions (PEFA is an electronic fresh fish auction for the European market). The action in Yerseke covers mussels only and is the only auction of its kind in the world. The sellers at the demersal auctions are the fishermen, and the members of the Urk/Harlingen auctions are organised into a cooperative. In the pelagic sector, the seller (the owner of the vessel) is often the buyer as well, meaning that the value may only reflect payment to the fishermen or a set price.

In 2025, total first sales in Dutch auctions amounted to 26.682 tonnes and 145 million euros.

The top-3 places of sale covered 68% and 62% of total first sales, respectively in volume and value terms.

Wholesale

Source: Dutch Fish Marketing Board

Wholesale is an intermediary stage in the distribution channel that buys in bulk and sells to resellers (e.g. retailers) rather than to consumers.

There are not many “pure wholesalers” in the Netherlands, as many of the processing companies, especially dealing with pelagic species, have ownership in the boats landing the fish and in the wholesalers purchasing the first sales.

A large part of the seafood sold at auctions or imported go straight to the processing plants, situated mostly in and around the auctions.

There are no mixed or redistribution markets (wholesale markets) either. Information on companies’ volume sold and market shares are not publicly available.

Processing

According to Eurostat-SBS, 3.351 persons were employed in the Dutch fish processing industry in 2023. The sector recorded a value added of 215 million euros, covering 1% of the value added of total manufacture of food products.

In 2024, the main products sold were “Fish fillets in batter or breadcrumbs including fish fingers (excluding prepared meals and dishes)” and “Frozen fish meat, whether or not minced (excluding fillets and surimi)” (source: Eurostat-PRODCOM).

206 companies
Net turnover: 1,5
billion euros
(2024, source: Eurostat - SBS)

Import

Main commercial species imported
and % of total imports
2024, million euros (nominal value)

Export

Main commercial species exported
and % of total exports
2024, million euros (nominal value)

Distribution

The supply chain of fisheries and aquaculture products in the Netherlands (source: Dutch Fish Marketing Board):

Consumption

In 2023, apparent consumption was estimated at 19,90 kg per capita, a 5% increase compared with 2022. The most consumed species were cod, Alaska pollock, mackerel, hake and warmwater shrimps (source: EUMOFA).

19,90 kg
per capita in live
weight equivalent
(2023, source: Dutch Fish Marketing 
Board)

The country in EUMOFA