Seafood trade data
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The value of our seafood imports has increased by over £1 billion in the last decade. In the UK, we import most of the seafood we eat. The top five imported species are what UK consumers eat the most.
In 2023, we imported over 1.2 million tonnes of seafood worth £3.6 billion. This represents a value increase of 16% and volume increase of 0.3% from 2021.
Our top five importing countries by value were:
- Norway (£632 million)
- China (£307 million)
- Iceland (£276 million)
- Vietnam (£227million)
- Netherlands (£191 million)
Our top five imported species by value were:
- Salmon (£752 million)
- Shrimps and prawns (£570million)
- Cod (£522 million)
- Tuna (£414 million)
- Haddock (£198 million)
In 2023, our top five importing countries by volume were:
- China (171,311 tonnes)
- Norway (137,279 tonnes)
- Iceland (93,239 tonnes)
- Netherlands (85,461 tonnes)
- Vietnam (71,266 tonnes)
In 2023, our top five imported species by volume were:
- Tuna (194,049 tonnes)
- Cod (193,018 tonnes)
- Salmon (116,067 tonnes)
- Shrimps and prawns (103,240 tonnes)
- Haddock (101,104 tonnes)
In terms of volume, the UK exported nearly 12,000 tonnes less seafood than it did in 2022. However, the value of our exports increased by £8 million. The EU remains the UK’s largest export market, taking a 70% share of total UK export value.
In 2023, our top five exporting countries by value were:
- France (£750 million)
- USA (£232 million)
- Spain (£106 million)
- Netherlands (£90 million)
- China (£85 million)
In 2023, our top five exported species by value were:
- Salmon (£667 million)
- Mackerel (£120 million)
- Nephrops (£115 million)
- Trout (£95 million)
- Scallops (£91 million)
In 2023, our top five exporting countries by volume were:
- France (154,922 tonnes)
- Netherlands (46,005 tonnes)
- Spain (31,684 tonnes)
- USA (26,426 tonnes)
- Republic of Ireland (18,400 tonnes)
In 2023, our top five exported species by volume were:
- Salmon (90,752 tonnes)
- Mackerel (76,323 tonnes)
- Herring (33,125 tonnes)
- Scallop (24,683 tonnes)
- Whelk (22,516 tonnes)
Our Trade and Tariff Tool has data for seafood imported and exported in the UK. Businesses can use it to research potential new markets.
Its an interactive tool built using business intelligence software on Tableau and gives access to historical trade data from 2010 to 2020. It covers data on seafood trade for human consumption only and is based on HMRC data. It also includes data on trade tariffs.
The data includes weight, value and country by year and can be displayed year by year, making comparisons easy and allowing businesses to identify trends and opportunities.
Follow the link below to access the Trade and Tariff Tool.
Follow the link below to access the latest UK seafood trade data from our insights and economics teams.
Contact us
If you’d like further information on any of our trade data, please contact our Economics team by emailing economics@seafish.co.uk