Some 60% of the fishery products consumed in Europe are imported.
We are one of the largest export regions for fishery products in the world.
It currently provides 25% of export income from fisheries products.
The quality of imported fishery products is extremely important in this context.
We are keen to see women be given a role in the marketing and processing of fisheries products.
And yet, we have a deficit of fisheries products.
This will expand the single market in fishery products and their by-products.
The value of exports of fisheries products in 2002-03 was $1.84 billion.
In 2003, fishery products accounted for 2.8% of agricultural exports.
Increased competition, associated with the globalisation of the market in fishery products, is a further problem.