WRITTEN QUESTION E-2192/02 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission. International trade in fishmeal in the EU.
Date: 2002-07-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU production, aquaculture, fish product, import (EU), originating product, supply, trade by product, world production

8.5.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 110 E/35

The other topics referred to are not expected to generate additional costs over and above those which can
be catered for in the normal budgetary procedure and within the financial perspectives ceilings.

(1) COM(2002) 185 final.
(2) Document COM(2002) 190 gives more details on this, particularly the socio-economic aspects.

(2003/C 110 E/034)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2192/02

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: International trade in fishmeal in the EU

(19 July 2002)

Can the Commission provide information on the volumes and countries of origin of fishmeal imported
into the EU?

Does the Commission take the view that the Community domestic market could be covered by importing
fishmeal from third countries?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(24 September 2002)

Details of fishmeal imports into the Union are sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament’s
Secretariat.

The average annual Community fishmeal consumption in the five years period 1996-2000 is estimated at
999 100 tonnes. Community production in this period averaged 545 400 tonnes per annum. As some of
the Community production is exported, roughly half the Community domestic market was supplied by
Community production in this period. While the level of fishmeal production in the European Free Trade
Association (EFTA) states almost equals that of the Community, Norway is a net importer of fishmeal on
account of the large salmon farming sector.

World production of
fishmeal averages 6 200 000 tonnes per annum but can go down as low as
4 500 000 in ‘El Niño’ years when landings in the top producing nations Peru and Chile are reduced due to
oceanic factors. This drop last occurred in the period 1997-1998 and the Comité Oceanográfico Nacional
(Chile) announced on 18 July 2002 that a new El Niño event has just commenced which means that South
American production will drop again in the short term.

Average Community consumption for the two years 2000 and 2001 was 28 % of world fishmeal exports.
In the ‘El Niño’ year 1998 it was 50 % of world exports. Because of the high level of consumption in the
Community it would not be prudent to depend solely on imports from third countries, not only on
account of fluctuations in supply, but also because of growing demand world wide.

Demand for fish meal in the Far East grew by over 50 % in the 1990s and this region now consumes 55 %
of world supply. Consumption in the Far East exceeded European consumption by a factor of 3,35 in
2000.

A recent analysis undertaken by Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) indicates that demand for fish
feed for use in aquaculture will increase by 240 % in the next ten years; while in the same period the use
of fish meal will increase by 150 % and fish oil by 170 %. This is based on the prediction that by 2010
more than 90 % of world fish oil and 56 % of fishmeal will be used in fish feed. While the Community is
currently funding research into alternative protein and oil sources for aquaculture, no conclusive results are
available at the present time.