Capital: Vilnius
Population: 2.9 million (2025, Eurostat)
GDP: €79 billion (2024, Eurostat)- GDP/capita: €27 350 (2024, Eurostat)
Overview of Lithuania’s fisheries and aquaculture sector
Fisheries sector
Lithuania has a relatively short coastline of only 90 km, and its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone in the Baltic Sea amount to 7.000 km. Lithuania has significant inland waters covering 2.621 km, or 4% of the country’s territory. There are 2.827 lakes with a surface greater than 0,5 ha (87.359 ha), 1.589 ponds (24.434 ha), and 731 rivers longer than 10km (32.601 ha), including the largest rivers Nemunas and Neris.
The Lithuanian fleet is divided into 3 segments: small-scale operating in the Baltic Sea coastal area, large-scale vessels operating in the Baltic Sea, and the long-distance fleet that is the largest in terms of capacity and economic size.
Marine fisheries represent most of the total Lithuanian catch. Total capture by marine fisheries in 2024 was 74.891 tonnes, which included the Baltic Sea, long-distance ocean, and coastal fisheries, and the value of the catch was €75,4 million. Lithuania’s fishing fleet numbered 58 vessels, mostly small coastal fishing vessels under 12 meters long (45), while only 13 fishing vessels operate in the open Baltic Sea. In 2024 Lithuania had 5 long-distance fishing vessels which operate in areas regulated by the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF) and the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), the the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO) and the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC), depending on the allocated fishing opportunities.
The Baltic Sea marine fishery that also includes the coastal fishery captured 12.383 tonnes of fish in 2024, 8% of the total production. The main commercial species were European sprat and Atlantic herring.
The operating high-seas fishing fleet contributes the largest share in volume and value to Lithuanian total catches. Over 90% in terms of volume and value of the total marine catches in 2024 were from this segment. Targeted species outside the EU exclusive economic zone are the chub mackerel and Atlantic horse mackerel, with 35% and 11% of the total marine catch volumes in 2024.
Employment in the marine fisheries sector in 2024 totalled 414 persons FTE (391 men and 23 women). The long-distance fisheries segment was the major employer with 288 persons, followed by Baltic Sea (38) and coastal fisheries (88).
Inland fisheries contribute to just under 1% of Lithuania’s total catches, with the Curonian Lagoon being the most significant inland fishing area. Targeted species include bream, roach, pike perch, and vimba.
Aquaculture
The Lithuanian aquaculture sector in 2024 produced around 4.056 tonnes of fish for human consumption, valued at over €16 million. The most common production method is ponds, accounting for around 63% of total production for consumption. Other production methods include tanks and raceways, as well as recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS). The latter is the fastest growing method of production: in 2016 the volumes of fish from RAS amounted to 0,01% of the total, by the end of 2020 the share was 17%, and in 2024 reached 35%. RAS systems allow to produce high-value species, as well as to diversify the production assortment. African catfish is the main species produced in the country in RAS systems.
The most commonly farmed species is Common carp, representing around 56% of the volume and 50% of the value of all fish farmed in 2024. Other cyprinids include bighead and crucian carps. In terms of production value, the most important species after common carp is African catfish, which is produced exclusively in RAS systems and has been gaining more and more popularity among fish farmers: during the period between 2020 and 2024 production volumes of this species increased by 70% while the value grew 90% reaching 808 tonnes valued at €3,2 million in 2024. The average price for African catfish in the 2020-2024 period increased from EUR 3,56/kg to EUR3,97/kg, with supply and competition increasing over time. Other important species farmed are rainbow trout and sturgeons.
In 2024, the aquaculture sector employed 424 persons (FTE), including 321 men and 103 women.
Processing
The processing sector is important due to its economic size and employment numbers. In 2023 there were over 84 fish processing companies distributed across almost all the regions of the country, and in 2024 fish processing sector employed 4.983 persons (1.747 men and 3.236 women).
The total production of processed fish and seafood in 2024 reached 122.558 tonnes worth €763,1 million. Prepared and preserved fish is the largest group of products in terms of volume with over 42% share of the total and over 31% share in value. Smoked fish and fish fillets was the largest group in terms of value with 40% of the total production value with over 18% of the total volumes. Frozen fish fillets were another important group with 17% of the volumes and 15% of the total value. Major processed species are salmon, herring, and cod in different product forms.
Trade
About 90% of the fish and seafood for Lithuania’s processing sector is imported. In 2024 the imports of fish and seafood, including prepared and preserved products, reached 142,8 thousand tonnes in volume and EUR 626,4 million in value. Sweden is the major supplier out of the EU countries with 29% share of the total EU import volume to Lithuania. As one of the EU’s major distribution hubs for Atlantic salmon from Norway, Sweden supplies Lithuania with more than 60% of the salmonids brought into the country. Latvia is the second largest EU supplier by value and volume, with small pelagic species and salmonids contributing to 35% and 19% of Latvia’s volume exports to Lithuania. Outside of the EU, major supplier are Norway and the United States. The main product imported from Norway being cod, saithe, salmon and herring and while surimi and salmon from USA.
Lithuania’s well-developed processing sector is an important supplier of value-added products’ exports. In 2024 the country’s total exports fish and seafood, including prepared and preserved products, amounted to 140,2 thousand tonnes worth over €726,5 million. The EU market absorbed over three quarters of the volumes and more than 80% of the value totals. Major EU destinations were Germany, Italy, Latvia, and Belgium. Outside the EU, major destinations included United Kingdom, Ukraine and Canada. The main exported products included salmon, surimi, cod and herring.
Consumption
In 2022, Lithuania’s apparent seafood consumption was estimated at 18,0 kg per person, a 1% increase on 2021, with mackerel, Atlantic horse mackerel, sprat, and herring the most consumed species. This upward trend has also been supported by the Ministry’s promotion campaigns for local, sustainably farmed aquaculture species, including the long running “Farmed in the EU” (Išauginta ES) initiative, and has contributed to fish consumption growing steadily, by around 15% in recent years.