Agri-Food Trade Service

The Austrian Fish and Seafood Market Sector Profile¹

February 2008

Mrs. Susanne Schmidt-Knobloch
Trade Commissioner
A-1010 Vienna, Austria
Email: susanne.schmidt-knobloch@international.gc.ca

1. Sector Overview

Austria boasts one of the most modern and successful economies in the European Union, despite having one of Europe's smaller populations with only 8.3 million people. Since its accession to the EU in 1995, Austria's GDP has grown swiftly to 257.90 billion Euro² (2007 estimate), with the 4th highest GDP per capita in the EU at 31,140 Euro. Austria continues to be a strong and stable country with an ever expanding economy.

With an annual turnover of 55 billion Euro, the Austrian food industry contributes 14 percent to the GDP. One in six jobs depends on the production, processing and trade of food.

Austrians have conservative tastes that are reflected in their cuisine, production methods and marketing. They prefer foods without additives and reject genetically modified products. Consumption of seafood is low, but rising. The reason for the general upward trend is the rising standard of living and the growing number of restaurants serving seafood. Fish and seafood account for nearly one percent of overall Austrian food sales. Increasing consumption because of growing health consciousness and high seasonal demand - during Christmas for example - have lead to a strong increase of the overall market over the past years.

Processing and consumption of fish are low in Austria, and most table fish are imported. Line fishing in freshwater lakes and sport fishing in the mountain streams is popular and amounts to nearly 1000 tons a year.

As a landlocked country, all marine fish, shellfish, and crustaceans must be imported. With a production of 3.100 tons/year and a consumption of over 9 kilograms per person and year, Austria with its population of 8.3 million has a self sufficiency of less than 5 percent. 71,598 tons of fish were imported in 2006, making the fish import sector a 266 million Euro market in Austria.

As the smallest sector of the Austrian food industry there are only 743 people employed in this sector and an annual turnover of 625 million Euro. There are also hardly half a dozen major players in this sector with more than 50 employees:  Cerny & Nordsee, Elfin, Wojnar's Wiener Leckerbissen, Eisvogel and Eishken.

Fish is going to play a major part in the organic food industry's future. As of today there are no recognized standards for organic fish, however, the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) has developed an environmental standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. It uses a product label to reward environmentally responsible fishery management and practices.

2. Market and Sector Challenges (Strengths and Weaknesses)

Since Austria's EU accession, food industry mergers have accelerated. Many smaller Austrian food processing companies, in order to survive, have partnered with larger national or foreign firms, and the trend is continuing. 64% of the Austrian consumers are buying their fish mainly from large retail chains or discounters.

Austria's small fish production is limited mainly to trout (especially rainbow and speckled trout) and carp. Since Austria is a landlocked country, all marine fish, shellfish, and crustaceans must be imported. The main suppliers are Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, and France. Of the total import value, fresh/frozen fish account for 30 percent, dried and/or smoked fish for 20 percent, fresh/frozen crustaceans and mollusks for 10 percent, and processed fish, crustaceans and mollusks for 40 percent.

3. Sub-Sector Identification

Fish & Seafood Products
Fish/crustaceans/molluscs etc
- Fish/frozen/not fillets
- Fish fillets & other fish meat
- Crustaceans
- Molluscs
- Fish, smoked

Processed fish and shellfish
- Processed fish/ caviar

Canadian Government and Austrian Industry Contacts

Embassy of Canada in Vienna
Contact: Susanne Schmidt-Knobloch
E-mail:
susanne.schmidt-knobloch@international.gc.ca
Internet: www.infoexport.gc.ca

Foreign Affairs and International Trade  Canada
125 Sussex Dr.
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2
Internet: http://www.infoexport.gc.ca

C+C Pfeiffer GmbH
Egger Lienz-Straße 15
4050 Traun
Mr. Ronald Kan, Head of Category
Tel: +43 (7229) 605-1351
Fax: +43 (7229) 605-51272
Email: ronald.kan@pfeiffer.at
Web: www.pfeiffer.at

Eishken Estate, Rauch- und Frischfischvertriebs GmbH
Grossgrünmarkt Inzersdorf
Halle A2, Stand 1-3
1230 Vienna
Mrs. Elisabeth Aibler,
Tel: +43 1 889 37 33
Fax: +43 1 889 30 80
Email: aibler@eishken.at
Web: www.eishken.at

Eisvogel Hubert Bernegger GmbH
Breitenau 109
4591 Molln
Mr. Friedrich Kusche
Tel: +43 (7584) 30 90 22
Fax: +43 (7584) 30 90 10
Email: kusche@eisvogel.eu
Web: www.eisvogel.eu

ELFIN Feinkost GmbH 
Wegscheiderstraße 27
4060 Leonding
Mr. Adolf Brugger (Sales)
Tel: +43 70 38 36 01
Fax: +43 70 38 36 01 - 82
Email: office@elfin.at

Da Rocco Fischimport
Köglerweg 5
A-8042, Graz
Mr. Rocco Paterna
Tel: +43 / 316 / 473102-11
Fax: +43 / 316 / 473102-22
Email: r.paterna@darocco.at
Web: www.darocco.at

Lachsräucherei Fuchs
Bogengasse 195
2632 Grafenbach
Mrs. Eva Fuchs,
Tel: +43 2630 359 59
Fax: + 43 2630 359 49
Email: lachsfuchsat@lachsfuchs.at
Web: www.lachsfuchs.at

Wojnar's Wiener Leckerbissen
Delikatessenerzeugung GmbH
Laxenburger Straße 250
A-1230 Wien
Ms. Doris Moser
Tel.: +43-1-815 85 05 - 27
Fax: +43-1-815 85 05-34
E-Mail: einkauf@wojnar.at

Cerny und Nordsee
Hermann Gebauer Str. 18
Ms. Andrea Schuster-Aigner
A - 1220 Wien
Tel: 01/732 13
Fax: 01/732 13 647
E-Mail: wien@c-n-fisch.at
Web: www.fisch-online.at

Useful Internet Sites

Austrians acquire taste for convenience, AgExporter 2004  by Roswitha Krautgartner
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3723/is_5_16/ai_118544511

Eurostat Fishery Statistics - 2007 edition
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/publications/fishyearbook2007.pdf

Regulations for importing fish to Austria.
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/fispoi/export/cert10/euuee.shtml

Seafood Industry Contacts Internet Database (This is not a government site.)
http://www.sea-ex.com/countryinfo/austria.htm

STATISTIK AUSTRIA, Versorgungsbilanzen
http://www.statistik.at

[1] The Government of Canada has prepared this report based on primary and secondary sources of information.  Readers should take note that the Government of Canada does not guarantee the accuracy of any of the information contained in this report, nor does it necessarily endorse the organizations listed herein.  Readers should independently verify the accuracy and reliability of the information.

[2] All monetary amounts are expressed in foreign currency, unless otherwise indicated.