Germany is a big market for fish and fishery products with an annual consumption up to hundreds of tonnes. Frozen fish fillets made up the major part in terms of volume and value. Fish of all varieties and products are getting more popular and are seen as an alternative source of protein and healthy foods.
Imports of fish into Germany were increasing over ten years, but started to slide down since 2012. Imported fish products (HS03) totaled US$4.027 billion, 7.5 percent fewer than those in 2011, mainly due to economic downturn, which has still been weakening Germans’ consumption. The most favourist fishes are Alaska pollock, herring, salmon, tuna and pangasius.
In the first quarter of 2013, Germany sourced 4,877 MT of seafood products from 11 supplying countries, lower than 5,875 MT of the compatible quarter of 2012. It purchased most frozen pangasius fillets from Vietnam with a volume of 4,877 MT, lower than 5,373 MT volume registered a year ago.
Entries of some whitemeat fish species into this market have been on the upward trend. Between January and March 2013, Germany bought 38,018 MT of frozen fillets of Alaska pollock, up from 37,459 MT and 5,831 MT of frozen cod fillets, higher compared to the 5,548 MT registered in January - March 2012.
Pangasius imports declined in the first quarter of 2013 because consumption demand for seafood was still weak, while other whitemeat fish with decreasing prices were fully available in the market. Germany is a price-sensitive market; therefore, consumers are turning to eat other whitemeat fish species, which fell to lower prices. Additionally, whitemeat fish traders are strengthening promotion of their products.
German consumers are currently focusing on seafood quality and price, so they mostly eat products with high prestige and certification of quality. Government also encourages consumers to buy sustainable fish. Most of local retailers put sustainable products into their purchasing policies. Therefore, finding certified-fish producers and suppliers is one of the priorities of German seafdood importers.
The first ASC-certified fish products have been largely promoted by ASC in Europe. However, it must take more time to educate European consumers about the benefits of ASC certification and certified products. Germany is one of the first markets supporting the appearance of these products. Lenk Seafood, a local fish retailer, says that there are still not much people knowing about ASC fish, so sustainably certified-fish products, including pangasius, may see opportunities of development in the market.
|
Top five exporters of frozen fish fillets (HS0304) into Germany, MT |
|||
|
Origin |
January 2013 |
February 2013 |
March 2013 |
|
China |
12,934 |
11,264 |
10,486 |
|
Denmark |
3,501 |
2,742 |
3,012 |
|
The U.S. |
2,930 |
4,042 |
2,884 |
|
The Netherlands |
1,322 |
1,579 |
1,672 |
|
Vietnam |
1,840 |
2,250 |
1,554 |
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is facing new opportunities to expand its development space as many localities and businesses begin promoting marine farming models aimed at diversifying farming areas and adapting to climate change. However, for pangasius to truly “go offshore” and develop into a large-scale industry segment, significant challenges related to technology, broodstock, and markets still need to be addressed.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports in April 2026 reached USD 11 million, up 92% compared to the same period in 2025. This strong growth indicates that Vietnamese tilapia products are continuing to penetrate and expand rapidly in international markets. Cumulative export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 49 million, up 151% year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com) At VietShrimp Asia 2026, disease management trends in shrimp farming are shifting strongly from treatment-based approaches toward proactive prevention through environmental and pond ecosystem control.
(vasep.com.vn) After a period of strong growth, with export turnover reaching USD 38 million in Q1/2026 — up 174% year-on-year — the sector’s rapid expansion clearly reflects growing market opportunities.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the ASEAN bloc reached USD 44 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025. After falling to the lowest level of the quarter at USD 9 million in February — reflecting the seasonal slowdown in orders after the festive period — exports recovered strongly to USD 18 million in March, the highest monthly value of the quarter. This development shows that import demand for pangasius in ASEAN remains relatively stable despite short-term fluctuations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 11, 2026, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive comparability finding for Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries, along with those of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With this decision, seafood and seafood products harvested from Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries will continue to be eligible for import into the US market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a slowdown in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Germany showed more positive signs in the first quarter of 2026. However, the recovery remains uncertain as consumer demand in Germany is still cautious, while market competition is increasingly driven by pricing and supply stability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a sharp decline in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel are showing positive signs of recovery in the early months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover to this market grew steadily month by month in Q1/2026, reaching nearly USD 10 million, up 33% compared to the same period in 2025. However, compared to Q1/2024, this level remains significantly lower, indicating that the recovery is still in its early stage following last year’s strong adjustment.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Entering 2026, the U.S. whitefish market has shown complex developments as global cod supply continues to tighten, while the U.S. trade environment becomes less stable. In this context, the U.S. market has had to become more flexible in sourcing alternative whitefish. However, relying heavily on Alaska pollock is not a long-term solution, as it is a strictly managed fishery with quotas and sustainability regulations, limiting any rapid increase in output to offset cod shortages.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Aquaculture, capture fisheries, and seed production activities in Lam Dong in the early months of 2026 continued to show positive signs, with both output and farming area slightly increasing compared to the same period, contributing to maintaining overall industry stability.
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