Europe Aquaculture Market Size, Share, By Environment (Marine Water, Fresh Water, and Brackish Water), Fish Type (Carps, Mollusks, Crustaceans, Mackerel, Sea Bream, and Others), End-User (Retail, Food Processing Industry, Restaurants and Food Service, Animal Feed Industry, Pharmaceutical and Nutraceuticals Industries, and Others), and Country - Trends, Analysis, and Forecast till 2035

• By 2035, the Europe aquaculture market size is expected to reach a valuation of USD 191.0 Billion.
• The market valuation accounted for USD 120.0 Billion in 2025.
• The market is growing at a CAGR of 5.1%.

Aquaculture is the farming of seafood, such as fish, shellfish, and algae in bodies of water, and not only is aquaculture the fastest-growing form of food production today, but it has the potential to be the most environmentally-friendly. The Europe aquaculture market is experiencing significant growth due to several factors, such as rising seafood demand from consumers,  growing awareness of sustainable food sources, technological advancements in farming methods, supportive government policies promoting sustainable fishing practices, and a trend towards locally sourced seafood; all contributing to increased investment in aquaculture production across the region.

Key Takeaways:

• Norway holds the largest Europe aquaculture market, primarily due to its extensive coastline with ideal conditions for salmon farming, which is the dominant species produced in their aquaculture industry.
• According to the data published by European Commission, in 2020, the European aquaculture sector reached 1.2 million tons in sales volume and €3.9 billion in turnover value and directly employed around 57,000 people working for approximately 14,000 enterprises.

Key Drivers of Target Market:

Disease Control and Controlled Environment for Aquaculture Drive Market Growth

Aquaculture provides a more controlled environment compared to open-water fisheries. In these settings, it is easier to monitor crucial factors, such as water quality, pH, and temperature, creating optimal conditions for fish growth. This controlled environment also enhances disease control. While diseases can spread rapidly in open waters, aquaculture settings implement strict biosecurity measures.

Restraints:

Market is Obstructed by Rising Prices of Seafood

Europe aquaculture market is hindered due to decrease in at-home fresh seafood consumption due to rising prices. This downward trend in household consumption can largely be attributed to the current economic and geopolitical climate, which has led to an increase in inflation, weighing heavily on consumers' purchasing power at the retail level.

• For instance, according to the data published by European Commission, from 2019 to 2022, EU consumers have eaten more fresh seafood products at home, mostly due to the impact of COVID19 on the restaurant and hotel sector. That positive trend is now over, and by 2023 household consumption of fresh fish had plummeted to its lowest level.
• Counterbalance Statements: To address rising seafood prices, producers, retailers, and consumers can try these solutions including adjust production, improve quality management, invest in technology, and so on.

Opportunities:

Demand of Aquaculture may Increase in the Coming Years Due to Sustainable Aquaculture

The sustainable development of aquaculture is one of the main objectives of the common fisheries policy. The most important aspects in terms of environmental sustainability of EU aquaculture relate to the assessment, monitoring and limitation of the environmental impact of aquaculture activities (for instance, in terms of nutrients and organic matter discharge from aquaculture farms in waters), the use of alien or locally absent species, feed ingredients for carnivorous fish (alternatives to wild fish), management of diseases and use of veterinary medicines and other substances with low environmental impact.

• For instance, according to the European Commission, The European Commission has published three new staff working documents to promote sustainable aquaculture in the European Union. These documents focus on three crucial topics, including access to space and water for freshwater and land-based aquaculture, climate-change adaptation, and energy transition.

The Europe aquaculture market is segmented into environment, fish type, end user, and country.

Environment

With respect to the environment, the market has been divided by freshwater, brackishwater, and marine water. In the freshwater sector, aquaculture occupies greater percentage of the market. This is attributed to its abundance and relative ease of control.

• For Instance, according to the data published by European Commission, in Europe, more than half of the total aquaculture production volume focuses on shellfish, while marine and freshwater fish account for around 21% and 28% of the total volume.

Fish Type

The market can be broken down into several of fish categories, which include carps, crabs, mollusks, sea bream, mackerel, and others. Considering their popularity and frequent application in a variety of cuisines, mollusks are going to dominate the target market share.

End-User

Among the Europe aquaculture market categories by end-user are retail, food processing, restaurants and food service, animal feed, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals. Due to the country's developing industry of tourism and evolving tastes of consumers, the restaurant and food service industries have been considered to be in position to govern the market.

Europe Aquaculture Market Report Scope:

Segmentation:

By Environment:

• Marine Water
• Fresh Water
• Brackish Water

By Fish Type:

• Carps
• Mollusks
• Crustaceans
• Mackerel
• Sea Bream
• Others

By End User:

• Retail
• Food Processing Industry
• Restaurants and Food Service
• Animal Feed Industry
• Pharmaceutical and Nutraceuticals Industries
• Others

By Region:

• Europe

• Germany
• U.K.
• France
• Russia
• Italy
• Spain
• Netherlands
• Rest of Europe

Grieg Seafood, Stolt-Nielsen, Mowi, and Lerøy are a few of the biggest names in the Europe aquaculture market. Sustainable practices, species diversification, improvements in technology in water management, and extending access to markets for higher-value species are likely to be the main initiatives adopted by aquaculture enterprises.

List of Key Players in the Market:

• Mowi
• Lerøy
• Stolt Sea Farm
• Grieg Seafood
• SalMar ASA
• Bakkafrost
• Stolt-Nielsen
• Pelagia
• Kuehne+Nagel
• AquaGen AS
• Sea-Bird Scientific
• Seafarms Group

• In January 2025, The European Union Reference Centre for Animal Welfare in Aquaculture (EURCAW-Aqua) has unveiled its newly launched website, which is set to become a cornerstone for advancing animal welfare practices in aquaculture across Europe. The platform, available at www.eurcaw-aqua.eu, is tailored for policymakers, researchers, national authorities, and the general public who are keen to drive improvements in aquaculture production methods.
• In December 2022, Horizon Europe has launched a new aquaculture research project to improve fish health and welfare, with the aim to enhance the resilience of EU aquaculture. Funded by the EU Horizon Europe program, Cure4Aqua is USD 5 million (€4.8 million), four-year aquaculture research project that developed new approaches to prevent aquatic fish diseases through innovative prophylaxis and technologies for early disease detection, while also supporting the advancement of alternative treatments to replace pharmaceuticals in disease control.

More Related Reports

Aquaculture Market
Asia Pacific Aquaculture Market
U.S. Aquaculture Market
Fish Processing Market
Fish Sauce Market