Germany - Fishing

The importance of the fishing industry has declined in recent years. At the beginning of 2001, the German fishing fleet consisted of 2,315 vessels with 71,499 GRT. In 2001, there were 101 fishery companies employing 11,053 people. The total catch in 2000 amounted to 205,689 tons, of which 22,868 tons came from inland waters. The main fishing areas are the North Sea and the waters off Greenland. Overfishing is a serious environmental problem. The government subsidizes capacity reduction and modernization measures. The fish varieties accounting for the greatest volume in 2000 were herring (13%), mackerel (12%), cod (8%), and sardines (7%). Imports of fish products totaled 1,212,792 tons in 2000 (valued at $2.3 billion), while exports amounted to 499,572 tons (valued at $1.1 billion). Imports accounted for 71% of the fish and seafood supplied in 2000. Norway and Denmark together supply 40% of Germany's fish and seafood imports.