Further development is directed to the introduction of new products and the opening to Western markets. A total of 10,470 individuals are currently employed in the fisheries industry. The rate of unemployment in fisheries sector is low. The 1996 per caput consumption of fish and fish products was estimated to be about 21 kg compared to 23-27 kg in 1990. There are no government regulations directly affecting the price of fish.
Raw fish sold in Estonia comes mainly from Baltic inland waters.
The Estonian distant-water fishing fleet is selling almost all their catches abroad. There are no specialized export or trading organizations for fish and fish products. Considerable amount of that fish was processed or reexported. According to the recent report of the Estonian Investment Agency, positive development trends in the Estonian fisheries sector can be observed. A considerable portion of investments is directed for modernizing the production facilities in order to make them meet the EU hygienic standards.