Seafood in Germany: the sector and its suppliers

Fleet, landings and fish markets

The German fishing fleet had 1,110 vessels in 2024. In 2023, fishing employed 702 people in full-time equivalents, 36% of them on vessels over 40 metres. There are 203 registered fishing ports.

In 2023, 56% of landings were frozen, 19% fresh and 23% cooked. By value, brown shrimp and blue whiting lead.

In 2025, German fish markets and first-sale places together recorded 14,585 tonnes and €78 million. The three largest were:

• Büsum: 3,252 tonnes and €20 million (brown shrimp, turbot, brill),
• Cuxhaven: 2,223 tonnes and €15 million (brown shrimp, cod, Greenland halibut),
• Bremerhaven: 2,691 tonnes and €8 million (Greenland halibut, mackerel, cod).

Together, these three places account for 56% of volume and value.

Federal states listed in the SeaMatch directory in Germany: Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thüringen.

Aquaculture: trout, carp and mussels

German aquaculture produced about 35,200 tonnes in 2023, of which 16,800 tonnes of fish. The main species are rainbow trout (5,782 tonnes), carp (4,056 tonnes), salmon trout, Arctic char and eel. By value, trout (€53 million) and blue mussels (€30 million) lead.

Processing and wholesale

The fish processing industry employed 6,714 people in 2023. In 2024, its 190 companies had a net turnover of about €3.5 billion. The main products are breaded fish fillets and fish fingers, and prepared or preserved fish products.

Wholesale is made up of many companies: FIZ counted about 445 fish wholesalers with roughly €5 billion in turnover for 2016.

What buyers look for

• Fresh and frozen fish: salmon, Alaska pollock, herring, cod, trout, carp, mackerel, tuna.
• Shellfish and molluscs: brown shrimp, shrimp and prawns, blue mussels, squid.
• Processed products: smoked salmon, matjes herring, Bismarck herring, rollmops, fish fingers, canned fish.

Germany in international trade

In 2024, salmon was the main import by value at €1.88 billion (33%), followed by skipjack tuna (€406 million). Exports are led by salmon (€459 million), cod (€163 million), Alaska pollock (€131 million) and herring (€78 million). Poland, the Netherlands, Austria and France are among the main trading partners (EUMOFA, 2024).

Apparent consumption was 12.08 kg per person in 2023. Alaska pollock, salmon, tuna and herring are the most consumed species.

How to find seafood suppliers, buyers and products in Germany

SeaMatch lists 157 German companies from public sources. SeaMatch serves suppliers, buyers, importers and distributors looking for seafood products. The public directory shows each company's name and city. With a free account, you can filter companies by federal state. With a free account, you can contact the companies registered on SeaMatch.

Frequently asked questions