Origin guide
Argentina shrimp exports: wild-caught red shrimp, 2024 figures and EU-listed establishments
Short answer: Argentina exported US$939 million (146,689 t) of frozen shrimp in 2024. Its shrimp comes from the wild-caught Argentine red shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) trawl fishery, not farming, so catch documentation matters. 408 Argentine establishments — many of them freezer and factory vessels — are on the EU list for fishery products.
Data year 2024 · trade figures checked 21 October 2026 · EU listings checked 23 October 2026
2024 export figures
HS 030613 exports were US$939 million (146,689 t), fourth worldwide. Customs totals do not separate farmed from wild shrimp; for Argentina the supply is associated with the wild red shrimp fishery.
| Exporter | 2024 value | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecuador | US$6.34 billion | 1,386,340 t | |
| India | US$4.31 billion | 666,420 t | |
| Indonesia | US$1.08 billion | 135,390 t | |
| Argentina | US$939 million | 146,689 t | |
| Thailand | US$547 million | 56,772 t |
Wild-caught: what changes for buyers
- Wild-caught fishery products entering the EU need a catch certificate under the EU's IUU rules, in addition to the health certificate.
- The vessel or plant that froze or processed the product must be on the EU list; for Argentina many listed establishments are vessels.
- Sustainability or fishery assessments are third-party opinions, not approvals; read their date and scope.
EU-listed fishery establishments
Argentina establishments on the EU list for fishery products: 408 (list updated 29 September 2026).
Freezer vessel 184 · Processing plant 150 · Factory vessel 49 · Cold store 27
One establishment can be listed for more than one activity, so activity counts can add up to more than the total.
Approvals can change: establishments are added, suspended and removed, and these counts are a snapshot read on 23 October 2026. A listing covers fishery products in general — it does not name species or show that a plant handles frozen shrimp — and it does not replace other requirements such as health certificates or IUU catch certificates. FishMatch does not republish establishment names and does not imply any listed plant is a FishMatch supplier. Before contracting, check the live list and the exact approval number, and our team checks named plants during each request review.
What to verify before you buy
- Catch certificate and vessel identification for each lot where the destination requires it.
- The freezer or factory vessel, or the processing plant, on the current EU list.
- Size grade as stated in the offer, and whether the product is whole, tail or peeled.
- Net weight and glaze basis.
Request a reviewed sourcing round
Free for buyers, for annual or seasonal programs of USD 250,000 or more. A person reviews every request before any producer is approached; buyers and suppliers stay confidential to each other and there is no direct contact. FishMatch Group coordinates sourcing and does not produce, certify, inspect or guarantee products.
Questions
- Is Argentine shrimp farmed?
- No. Argentine shrimp supply comes from the wild-caught Argentine red shrimp fishery (Pleoticus muelleri), according to the Seafood Watch assessment cited here.
- Why are so many Argentine EU-listed establishments vessels?
- Much of the catch is frozen at sea. Of 408 listed establishments, 184 are freezer vessels and 49 factory vessels.