Seafood in Italy: the sector and its suppliers

Italy is a major seafood market, with production coming more from aquaculture than from fishing. According to the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA), in 2023 it ranked 4th in the EU for aquaculture (130,000 tonnes) and 10th for fishery production (128,000 tonnes). It is also a large importer and consumer of seafood.

companies in the public directory
489

A fleet of small vessels

The Italian fishing fleet had 12,297 vessels in 2024. In 2023, fishing employed 13,366 people in full-time equivalents, 88% of them on vessels under 24 metres. There are 328 registered fishing ports.

Landings are almost entirely fresh: in 2023, 96% was fresh and 4% frozen.

Fish markets and first sales

In 2025, first sales totalled 52,166 tonnes and €266 million. The three leading places by value were:

  • Porto Tolle: 4,178 tonnes and €32 million (anchovy, sardine, mantis shrimp),
  • Mazara del Vallo: 961 tonnes and €22 million (shrimps, Norway lobster, deep-water rose shrimp),
  • Ancona: 6,321 tonnes and €21 million (clams, warmwater shrimps, common sole).

Together they account for 22% of volume and 28% of value. The two main wholesale markets are in Rome and Milan.

Regions listed in the SeaMatch directory in Italy: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Veneto.

Aquaculture: trout, clams and mussels

In 2023, Italian aquaculture produced about 130,000 tonnes. 71% of production takes place in sea or brackish water and 29% in freshwater. By value, the main species are trout (€207 million), clams (€199 million) and mussels (€84 million). The most common method is off-bottom culture (44% of output), ahead of tanks and raceways (27%).

Processing

The fish processing industry employed 6,403 people in 2023. In 2024, its 384 companies had a net turnover of about €3.14 billion. The main products are prepared or preserved tuna and frozen whole saltwater fish.

What buyers look for

  • Fresh and frozen fish: salmon, tuna, cod, anchovies, sardines, trout, gilthead seabream, seabass, sole.
  • Shellfish and molluscs: shrimps, Norway lobster, clams, mussels, squid, octopus, cuttlefish.
  • Processed products: canned tuna, anchovies in oil, salt cod, smoked fish.

Italy in international trade

In 2024, salmon (€1.2 billion, 16%), tuna (€967 million), squid (€586 million), octopus (€417 million) and shrimps (€364 million) were the main products imported. Exports are led by tuna (€282 million, 25%), anchovy (€97 million), trout (€53 million) and gilthead seabream (€46 million). Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Croatia are among the main trading partners (EUMOFA, 2024).

Apparent consumption was 30.38 kg per person in 2023. Yellowfin tuna, squid, salmon, mussels, skipjack tuna and cod are among the most consumed species.

How to find seafood suppliers, buyers and products in Italy

SeaMatch lists 489 Italian 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 region. With a free account, you can contact the companies registered on SeaMatch.

Contact suppliers and buyers on SeaMatch

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest fish market in Italy?

By value of first sales, Porto Tolle (€32 million in 2025); by volume, Ancona (6,321 tonnes), according to EUMOFA.

What is farmed in Italy?

Mainly trout, clams and mussels, with 71% of production in sea or brackish water (EUMOFA, 2023).

What seafood does Italy export?

Mainly tuna, anchovy, trout and gilthead seabream; main partners include Spain, Germany, France and Croatia (EUMOFA, 2024).

What seafood does Italy import?

Mainly salmon, tuna, squid, octopus and shrimps (EUMOFA, 2024).

Sources: EUMOFA