Commercially exploited fish and shellfish
Fishing is a widespread activity in Europe’s seas. It provides a high-protein, low-fat food that is increasingly demanded by European citizens, and is also an economic sector that generated over EUR 6.1 billion in revenue and 124 thousand direct jobs in 2021. Fishing has a high impact on the marine environment, including the overexploitation of targeted species, physical disturbance of seabed habitats and by-catch, altering the structure and functioning of the marine ecosystem.
https://water.europa.eu/europe-seas/pressures-impacts/extraction-of-fish-and-shellfish
https://water.europa.eu/europe-seas/pressures-impacts/extraction-of-fish-and-shellfish/@@download/image/Fishing Gear_byRain.jpg
Fishing is a widespread activity in Europe’s seas. It provides a high-protein, low-fat food that is increasingly demanded by European citizens, and is also an economic sector that generated over EUR 6.1 billion in revenue and 124 thousand direct jobs in 2021. Fishing has a high impact on the marine environment, including the overexploitation of targeted species, physical disturbance of seabed habitats and by-catch, altering the structure and functioning of the marine ecosystem.