The German Fishing Industry
The German fishing industry constitutes an efficient, state-of-the-art economic factor providing work for more than 40,000 people – in the fisheries, in fish processing and in the retail and catering trades.
Germany is an important market for fish products, as fish is a popular food. Not only does it taste good, but with its high-quality protein, polyunsaturated fat, many vitamins and important minerals, fish is an indispensable component of a healthy and well-balanced diet.
The German fishing industry includes the following sectors:
- fishing fleet (deep-sea as well as cutter and offshore fishing);
- fish processing industry;
- fish wholesalers and retailers;
- fish catering businesses; and
- inland fisheries and aquaculture.
In 2014, the aquaculture and inland fisheries sectors comprised about 7,000 enterprises and approximately 1.8 million active anglers on inland waters.