Imports of fresh or chilled fish in 2020 in physical terms increased by one third compared to the previous year, from 23,000 tonnes to 30,000 tonnes, and in U.S. dollar terms it grew by 15.4%, from $141 million to $162 million, the State Customs Service has reported. At that time, according to the data, the import of frozen fish in the past year amounted to 271,000 tonnes worth $365 million, decreasing by 5.1% and 3.1%, respectively.
Due to a general reduction in imports, the share of fresh or chilled fish of it in 2020 increased to 0.30% from 0.23% a year earlier, frozen – from 0.62% to 0.67%, the State Customs Service said.
According to the data, the export of frozen fish in 2020 amounted to only 440 tonnes for $1.1 million, having almost halved.
The State Customs Service said that the largest three countries-suppliers of fresh and chilled fish to Ukraine are Norway with the share of 82%, Turkey with 9% and Iceland with 4%, frozen – the United States with 19%, Iceland with 18%, and Norway with 14%.
In addition, in physical terms the import of fish fillets and other fish meat, dried, salted and smoked fish, crayfish and molluscs grew by 16.9%, to 58,700 tonnes, in money terms – by 20.1% to $152.7 million.
Most of all, the import of crustaceans increased – to 11,500 tonnes and to $55 million, or by 57.4% and 42.6%, respectively.
At the same time, fish fillets and other fish meat remained the main export product in this industry for Ukraine – 3,800 tonnes for $26.3 million, which is 2.5% and 13.4% higher than in 2019, respectively.
Import of fish, fish products and other aquatic biological resources in Ukraine in 2019 amounted to 399,100 tonnes for a total of $753.2 million, which is $117 million, or 18.5% more than in 2018, the State Fishery Agency has reported. In natural terms, according to data released by the Ukrainian Importers of Fish and Seafood Association (UIFSA) this week, import growth was 5%.
The association indicates that in 2018 the volume of imports in monetary terms increased by 20.5%, and in natural terms by 16%.
According to the agency, the main suppliers of aquatic biological resources to Ukraine (in natural terms) are Norway (80,000 tonnes for $205.4 million), Iceland (60,700 tonnes for $93.5 million), Estonia (39,600 tonnes for $16.8 million), the United States (30,700 tonnes for $67.6 million) and Canada (20,600 tonnes for $39.4 million).
Also, large volumes of fish products were delivered from Latvia, Spain, China, and the UK.
The agency said that about 80-90% of the volume of imports accounts for fish species, to which Ukraine does not have access, and are caught exclusively in the marine economic zones of other states.
“Basically, frozen fish or its fillets are imported to our country, which makes up 80% of imports. These products are mainly processed at domestic fish enterprises,” the agency said.
The total fish and other aquatic biological resources catch by fisheries of Ukraine in 2019 grew by 9.7% compared with 2018, to 97,200 tonnes.
According to a press release of the State Fisheries Agency of Ukraine, fish industry enterprises in water bodies and on the continental shelf of Ukraine caught 51,500 tonnes of aquatic biological resources, which is 2.2% more than in 2018.
In the area managed by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) fishing boats under Ukrainian flag caught 22,400 tonnes of aquatic biological resources, which is 48.7% more than in 2018.
In addition, last year, 14,960 tonnes of commodity products of aquaculture was caught.
Special fisheries combining elements of aquaculture and industrial fish catch operate in Ukrainian lakes and water reservoirs. Almost 8,300 tonnes of aquatic biological resources were caught by them in 2019, which is 14.7% more than in 2018.
