Germans eating more fish, pangasius

German per-capita seafood consumption edged up 0.2 kg last year, reaching 15.7 kg (catch weight) after freezing at 15.5 kg since 2006, according to figures released by Fisch-Informationszentrum (FIZ), reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to VASEP.

And it's only expected to grow. German per-capita seafood consumption is anticipated to total 17.5 kg by 2014, reported FIZ, an organisation representing numerous factions of Germany's seafood industry, including wholesalers, processors, fishmongers and fisherman.

FIZ attributed the growth in consumption to increasingly healthier, well-balanced diets among Germans and a rising number of products showing origin information, in terms of catch method and country of origin, which is "easing consumers' buying decisions."

Alaska pollock was Germany's most popular seafood species last year, representing 20.1 percent of total seafood consumption. Herring was No. 2 at 18.6 percent, followed by salmon at 12.8 percent and tuna at 9.6 percent.

At 6.5 percent of total seafood consumption, pangasius is now Germany's fifth most popular seafood species, more than doubling its market share over the last two years.

Pangasius has also experienced similar growth in the United States, where earlier this week it made its debut on the country's top 10 seafood list at 0.356 pounds consumed per capita in 2009.

In terms of product form, frozen fish came out on top, accounting for 34 percent of total seafood consumption in 2009, followed by canned and marinated fish at 26 percent, crustaceans and mollusks at 15 percent, fresh fish at 9 percent, smoked fish at 8 percent, other at 6 percent and delicatessen at 2 percent.