Europe is already dependent on imports for 70% of the fish it consumes.

Omissions

• The 70% figure refers to the import share of EU consumption (apparent consumption after subtracting exports). A different, more conservative metric — the minimum EU import dependence rate measured against total supply — was approximately 62% for 2023 according to the EU Seafood Supply Synopsis 2024 (AIPCE), cited in a European Parliament study published in 2026.
• The exact percentage varies by year and by species (dependence is much higher for demersal fish, salmonids and tuna, lower for small pelagics and flatfish); the Commission's '70%' is a long-standing headline figure used for the consumption metric.
• Self-sufficiency in EU fishery and aquaculture products was around 38% in 2023 (EUMOFA), i.e. roughly the mirror image of the ~62% import dependence of total supply.

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Commission — Fisheries and ocean (official topic page)With 70% of aquatic food consumed in the EU imported, this oversight is vital.
• PrimaryEU Blue Economy Report 2025 — Marine living resources (Publications Office of the EU)A significant 70% of that consumption comprises imported wild-capture fishery products.
• SecondaryIntraFish — European Union hits record-low levels of seafood self-sufficiencyThe bloc is now dependent on imports for over 70% of all its seafood needs.
• SecondaryAIPCE — EU Seafood Supply Synopsis 2024The minimum EU import dependence rate for 2023 was approximately 62% of total supply.
• SecondaryEuropean Parliament — Study: Assessing the impact of seafood imports on EU self-sufficiency (2026)According to the EU Seafood Supply Synopsis 2024, the minimum EU import dependence rate for 2023 was approximately 62% of total supply. ... EU seafood self-sufficiency has declined steadily, reaching 37.5% in 2022.