Fish and seafood industry in Finland - statistics & facts
The global fish production has recently increased and is expected to continue expanding due to the growing world population, changing attitudes toward meat consumption, considering fish and seafood as healthier options, and a rise in the number of people following a pescatarian diet. As Finland is well known for its huge number of lakes, fresh water, and a long coastline along the Baltic Sea, it comes as no surprise that fish and fishing play a major role within Finnish traditions, food, and industry.
In general, commercial fishing in Finland is an important sector, though it is smaller than in other Nordic countries such as Norway and Sweden.
Fish production in Finland
The commercial fish production in Finland declined in recent years, reaching a low of 91,797 metric tons in 2022. While the marine fish production was the main cause of decline, the inland production remained almost stable. Nevertheless, the number of enterprises operating in the fishing and aquaculture sector in Finland stayed on the same level the past 10 years, at around 1,500. As an alternative to traditional fishery, fish farming is a way to meet the increasing demand for fish. As of 2023, freshwater aquaculture enterprises accounted for the majority of Finnish fish farming businesses, while only 81 marine aquaculture enterprises operated in Finland the same year.International trade
The volume of exported fish from Finland amounted to over 73,400 metric tons as of 2023. The volume of fish imported to the country reached over 55,200 metric tons. However, in terms of value, the import of fish exceeded the export by far the same year. While the value of fish exported from Finland amounted to over 233 million euros, the import value reached almost 405 million euros. The neighbor country Norway was the major import partner for fresh fish in 2023, with an import value of approximately 323.9 million euros. Fresh fish exports from Finland totaled roughly 225.1 million euros, with Poland being the main export partner, followed by the Netherlands and Estonia.In general, commercial fishing in Finland is an important sector, though it is smaller than in other Nordic countries such as Norway and Sweden.
