However, the decrease was at least offset by the significant price hike that saw a 19.1% surge on 2013 and resulting in an average price of €2.02 per kilo against the €1.70 average price prevailing in 2013.


Hence, the national fleet landed an overall total of 119,890 tons of fish in 2014 with the sardine catch slumping 42.8% and tuna also down 21.2% over this year.


This all served to worsen the deficit ratcheted up by the Portuguese fishing sector and rising by €44 million to total €662.5 of imported fish and fish products, up 7.1% year-on-year.


2014 also saw the ninth consecutive year of contraction in the fleet with the 4,319 vessels registered that year being the lowest since 2006.