Last year, a record amount of aquaculture production was sold
According to Statistics Estonia, in 2018, aquaculture enterprises sold 944 tonnes of commercial fish and crayfish, with a total value of 4.2 million euros. The volume of aquaculture production sold in 2018 was highest in the last twenty five years.
The volume of production sold grew by almost a tenth compared to 2017, when 870 tonnes of commercial fish and crayfish was sold. The production of commercial fish and crayfish has remained at this level for the last five years – in 2014, the volume of production sold amounted to 869 tonnes.
Rainbow trout is the most cultivated and sold fish species in Estonia, and its share in the aquaculture production continues to increase. In 2014, rainbow trout accounted for 66% of the total quantity of commercial fish and crayfish sold, but in 2018, the share was already 85%. In 2018, the quantity of rainbow trout sold was 804 tonnes, with a total value of slightly over 3.3 million euros – this was also the highest quantity sold throughout the years.
The European crayfish was sold in the amount of 0.58 tonnes. Compared to 2017, the production volume decreased by a third. However, compared to 2012, when 0.1 tonnes were sold, the sales of crayfish have increased.
In addition to rainbow trout and the European crayfish, other fish species are farmed and sold in Estonia: tench, eel, the African sharptooth catfish, carp, catfish, sturgeons (the Siberian and Russian sturgeon), grass carp, etc.
The amount of fish roe for consumption sold in 2018 totalled 3.2 tonnes, which is approximately 0.6 tonnes less than in 2017. In 2018, the value of sold fish roe for consumption totalled slightly over 100,000 euros, while in 2017, it was 115,000 euros.
In 2018, of the total production of commercial fish and crayfish, 1% was exported, which is 4 percentage points less than in 2017. Mainly eel and to a lesser extent rainbow trout and the European crayfish were exported.
Statistics Estonia collects aquaculture data by surveying all enterprises with the principal or secondary activity of aquaculture. The frame of the surveyed enterprises has been compiled based on the register of enterprises recognised by the Estonian Fish Farmers Association and the Veterinary and Food Board, and on the data of the Statistical Profile. For the statistical activity “Aquaculture”, the main representative of public interest is the Ministry of Rural Affairs, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia collects and analyses the data necessary for conducting the statistical activity.