Greeks Import 66% of the Fish They Consume

An impressive 66% of the fish consumed in Greece are imported, a WWF study says, the figure coming as a surprise for a country surrounded by water.

Mediterranean EU countries – Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain and Portugal – are analyzed in the new WWF study called Seafood and the Mediterranean: Local Tastes, Global Markets.

Citizens of the above Mediterranean states are among the largest fish consumers worldwide. The region has an annual average consumption of 33.4 kg of fish per person, while the EU average is 22.9 kg and the international average is 19.2 kg, according to Greek Reporter.

With regard to Greece, the annual consumption of fish per person is 19.6 kg, of which 66% are imported, 22% are domestic aquaculture products and only 12% are domestic fishery products. Similarly, consumption in Portugal is 56.8 kg, which corresponds to over one kg of fish per person per week, while Spain has the next highest consumption, with 42.4 kg of fish.

In addition, according to the study, most of the fish sold on the Mediterranean markets are imported and mainly from developing countries, while it is noted that for every kilogram of fish caught or farmed in the Mediterranean EU countries, almost two kg are imported from other countries.