While the sole fish is king in Belgium, forming the basis of numerous Belgian national dishes such as Sole meunière, an unlikely sea creature has captured the hearts of Belgian and European consumers. Last year, €843,000 worth of cuttlefish was caught in Belgian waters and sold from our ports, according to statistics published by Belgium’s statistics agency Statbel.
In 2022, over 13,000 tonnes of fish were sold from Belgian ports, up 11.1% from the year before. Largely benefiting the Belgian economy, these catches represented a turnover of €79.5 million. Since 2021, revenues have increased by over 30% on the back of increased fish prices.
“Belgian sea fishing is… continuing its 2021 recovery after a strong divergent year in 2022… As a result of the Covid-19 crisis, both exports and sales to local markets and the service sector were severely disrupted. Since then, it has been noted that Belgian ships are offering more fish in Belgian ports and less abroad,” Statbel noted.
The most surprising dynamic is the record hauls, and sales, of cuttlefish from Belgian waters. Humans have a long history of eating the little slimy sea creature, and can be eaten raw, fried, barbecued, braised, or chargrilled. The animal is also coveted for its ink and for cuttlebone, which is used as a dietary supplement for birds.
Credit: Belga / Herwig Vergult
In 2022, landings of cuttlefish amounted to no less than 2,034 tonnes, surging by 104% compared to the year before. The food source is now so popular among fishermen that it has surpassed landings of plaice, which has been pushed down to the fourth in terms of catch and sales.
“Cuttlefish are much easier to catch in our waters than in the past, as this species is more widespread in the fishing grounds of the Belgian fishing industry,” Statbel said. “Second, there is also a market with a relatively favourable price, which makes cuttlefish a season target species for some ships. Third, cuttlefish are not subject to a fishing quota.”
This bountiful catch may partly be explained by global warming. The North Sea is becoming warmer as a result of human activity, creating better conditions for the cuttlefish. Overfishing of cod, once abundant in Belgian waters, has also removed natural predators for the marine mollusc.
Record haul
Belgian fishermen also caught a record haul of shrimps last year, amounting to a total of 855 tonnes, up a staggering 136% from 2021. Fishermen were finding catches of up to 4,000 kilograms at a time off the coast, leading it to be dubbed “Fish of the Year 2022” by the Flemish Centre for Agro- and Fishery Marketing (VLAM). At an average of 5.4 per kilo, the price of the small pink sea creatures remained the same.
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All this can be seen as good news for the beleaguered Belgian fishing sector. The National Bank of Belgium predicted that the sector would be one of the hardest hit from the energy crisis, due to its reliance on expensive fuels. The size of the fishing sector is already significantly smaller than its heyday over a decade ago.
Nevertheless, Belgium’s strong sole catch, which amounted to 2,261 tonnes last year, has boosted the industry. With prices rising by over 30%, the catch was a significant source of revenue. Sole catches account for nearly 50% of the industry, in terms of volume and sales.
