Economics of the Swedish small-scale Baltic fishery

Swedish small-scale fishing has undergone significant changes over time. There are examples of small-scale fishers who have diversified their activities by developing new sales channels or by processing a large part of their products themselves. However, this type of activity is significantly less well-documented than the fishing itself. In this paper, we examine how the catches of the Swedish small-scale Baltic fishery are used after landing, what economic values the sector generates, and what challenges the fishery sees to further develop its activities. The study is based on a survey of 379 small-scale commercial fishers along the Swedish Baltic Sea coast. We find that around 30 % of the fishers have income from sources other than fisheries or fisheries-related activities, and that approximately 70 % process at least part of their own catches. These activities also generate economic activity in other sectors, with regional multipliers ranging from 1.21 to 2.05. Regarding obstacles to company development, most small-scale fishers identify government management, including management of predator populations as well as the fishery itself, as the main obstacles rather than market access or the availability of labor and capital.