Foreign trade in fish 2008

The total volume of fish and fish products imported to Finland in 2008 was 90 million kg, which was 8 million kg less than the previous year. The value of imports was EUR 230 million, which was EUR 13 million less than the previous year.

Altogether 72 per cent of the volume of imports and 92 per cent of the value comprised fish or fish products for human consumption. The volume of fish or fish products imported for human consumption totalled about 65 million kg, about 20 million kg was imported for animal feed and approximately 5 million kg of other fish was also imported. The volume of fish imported for human consumption was the same as the previous year. Fish waste accounted for 11 million kg, 6 million kg less than the previous year, and fish meal for 9 million kg, 2 million less than the previous year, of the fish imported for animal feed.

The value of fish and fish products imported for human consumption, approximately EUR 212 million, which was about EUR 8 million less than the previous year.

Regarding imports, Finland’s most important trading partners in the order of import value were: Norway (EUR 93.1 million), Sweden (EUR 29.7 million), Denmark (EUR 29.5 million) and Thailand (EUR 16.1 million). Norway accounted for 46 % (41 million kg) of the total volume of Finland’s fish imports. The main items imported from Norway were fresh sea salmon (about 19 million kg), herring preparations and preserves, fresh rainbow trout, shrimp and prawn preserves and preparations, fresh salmon and trout fillets, frozen saithe fillets, fish waste and fish meal.

The volume of fish and fish products imported from Sweden totalled 10 million kg. Imports comprised mainly fresh rainbow trout, herring and Baltic herring preparations and preserves, and roe products. Fish preparations and preserves, frozen fish fillets, fish meal and fish fats and oils were imported from Denmark. Imports totalled around 15 million kg.

The total volume of fish and fish products exported from Finland in 2008 was 44 million kg, which was 5 million kg more than the previous year. This volume was higher than it had been in any other year since beginning of the 1980s. The value of exported fish and fish products was EUR 33 million, EUR 4 million less than in the previous year.

Exports from Finland consisted mostly of fish and fish products for human consumption. Regarding exports, Finland’s most important trading partners in the order of export value were: Sweden (EUR 11.0 million), Russia (EUR 8.8 million), Estonia (EUR 6.9 million) and Denmark (EUR 2.4 million).

The biggest export products were frozen sprats and Baltic herring, fresh salmon, herring and Baltic herring preparations and preserves, roe and roe products, fresh rainbow trout and smoked salmon. Frozen whole sprats and Baltic herring were exported to Russia 21.5 million kg.