But as the financial problems engulfing the eurozone deepen, merchants are finding it more and more difficult to sell fish there and prices for some of these species have fallen considerably.
The price of megrim for example, most of which goes to Spain, has “all but collapsed,” said Paul Trebilcock, chief executive of the Cornish Fish Producers' Organization.
He said 90 percent of his members’ megrim goes to Spain, and while prices had been volatile for the last two years or so they had now “all but collapsed."
Hake was also badly affected, but the fall there has been mitigated to some extent because the UK market has been developed.
“We are now getting somewhere around £2.50 (€3.1/$3.9) to £3 (€3.7/$4.7) per kilogram for hake, which is well down on the prices we used to get, but if we hadn’t developed the UK market prices for hake would be like megs [megrim] -- on the floor, he said.
“The biggest consumers of fish in Europe are countries like Spain, Portugal and Italy, so if we can’t sell fish there then it has to go somewhere else, which means you have a downward pressure on prices in the northern European states as well.”
He added that the uncertainty is a killer. "We need something to happen to resolve things one way or the other so that we can move on.”
Will Clark, chairman of Peterhead and Fraserburgh Fish Processors Association and the Scottish Seafood Association, said Scottish merchants were also experiencing difficulties because of the eurozone’s problems.
He said the euro was now 22 percent weaker against the pound than a year ago, which made exporting fish and seafood more difficult and resulted in fewer sales to countries such as Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece.
The problems had been offset to some extent by changing patterns of consumption in countries such as Spain.
Shortage of money meant people were eating out less in restaurants, which hit that trade, but were tending to buy more fish from supermarkets to eat at home.
This was helping to hold up prices of species such as monkfish and prawns.
“It’s swings and roundabouts but we are very reliant on exports to the eurozone countries and with all the financial turmoil we are really in uncharted waters,” he told Fishing News.
Clark said markets were “volatile and fragile."
Processors had been forced to use up funds last year when fish prices reached record highs, and now the eurozone crisis and fluctuating fish supplies caused by fishermen having to juggle their days at sea and quota leasing costs to stay viable was adding to the difficulties.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the latest statistics for January 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius export value to major market blocs recorded encouraging growth compared with the same period last year, indicating that consumption demand is gradually recovering.
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