Fishing for wages: remuneration gaps and attractiveness of the EU fisheries sector

Abstract While fishers are often perceived to earn below-average wages, few studies suggest that those in developed economies can achieve relatively high incomes, potentially due to shared remuneration systems that allow fishers to capture part of the resource rent during economic upturns. This study analyses the gross remuneration of over 130,000 EU fishers, confirming an overall remuneration gap, with most fishers earning 30% to 70% below their national economy averages. However, notable exceptions exist within specific fleets. Using a hedonic analysis, we investigate the factors such as fishing gear, vessel size, and country-specific economic conditions contributing to these disparities. Furthermore, the findings highlight the importance of comparing fishing sector wages with those in other economic activities to assess the sector’s attractiveness, identify potential labour and skill shortages, underscoring the need for targeted policies to address labour shortages and ensure the long-term sustainability of the EU fisheries workforce.