Fishing and aquaculture support 59.5 million people worldwide (2020) and help supply animal protein to communities around marine and inland waters. This page compares capture fisheries and aquaculture production, from 90.3 million tonnes of wild catch to 87.5 million tonnes farmed in 2020. It also examines sustainability pressures—such as stock status, bycatch, and international trade—and how these shape jobs, productivity, and long-term livelihoods.
Key Takeaways
- The global fishing industry was valued at $401 billion in 2022
- Aquaculture contributed $285 billion to global GDP in 2020
- Capture fisheries generated $116 billion in revenue in 2020
- Global employment in fisheries and aquaculture was 59.5 million in 2020
- Aquaculture employed 23 million people full-time equivalent in 2020
- Capture fisheries provided jobs for 36.5 million in 2020
- Global capture fisheries production reached 90.3 million tonnes in 2020
- Aquaculture production worldwide hit 87.5 million tonnes in 2020
- China led global aquaculture production with 52.2 million tonnes in 2020
- 35% of global stocks fished at unsustainable levels in 2020
- 64% of fish stocks assessed as sustainably fished in 2020
- Overfished stocks increased to 37% globally since 1970s
- Global fish trade volume was 28.2 million tonnes in 2020
- Fish accounted for 17% of global animal protein supply in 2020
- China imported $20 billion in seafood in 2021
In 2020, fisheries and aquaculture supported 59.5 million jobs, while unsustainable stocks and bycatch remain major challenges.
Related reading
01 · Category
Economic Statistics25 stats
01
The global fishing industry was valued at $401 billion in 2022
02
Aquaculture contributed $285 billion to global GDP in 2020
03
Capture fisheries generated $116 billion in revenue in 2020
04
US commercial fishing industry worth $5.8 billion in 2022
05
Norway's seafood industry exports reached €15.3 billion in 2022
06
China's fishing industry GDP contribution was $150 billion in 2020
07
Global fish trade value hit $164 billion in 2020
08
EU fisheries sector GDP was €25 billion in 2021
09
Alaska seafood industry generated $5.8 billion in 2022
10
Vietnam's aquaculture exports valued at $2.3 billion in 2021
11
India's marine fisheries worth INR 1 trillion in 2020
12
Global shrimp market revenue was $70 billion in 2022
13
Salmon farming industry valued at $20 billion globally in 2022
14
Japan's seafood imports cost $15 billion in 2021
15
Peru's fishmeal industry revenue $2.5 billion in 2021
16
Thailand's seafood exports reached $6.9 billion in 2021
17
World Bank estimates fisheries poverty reduction impact at 540 million people
18
Iceland's fishing sector contributes 25% to exports worth €2 billion
19
Chile salmon industry exports $5.5 billion in 2022
20
Global tuna market size $42 billion in 2022
21
Ecuador's shrimp exports $6.1 billion in 2021
22
Morocco's fisheries exports €2.2 billion in 2021
23
Russia's seafood exports $8 billion in 2022
24
Bangladesh fish exports $0.5 billion in 2020
25
Philippines tuna industry $1.2 billion in 2021
Interpretation
Economic Statistics Interpretation
From an economic-statistics standpoint, the fishing sector’s scale is clear as global aquaculture contributed $285 billion to GDP in 2020 and capture fisheries added $116 billion in revenue the same year, underscoring how the industry is a major economic driver well beyond the broader $401 billion global industry value reported for 2022.
02 · Category
Employment Statistics23 stats
01
Global employment in fisheries and aquaculture was 59.5 million in 2020
02
Aquaculture employed 23 million people full-time equivalent in 2020
03
Capture fisheries provided jobs for 36.5 million in 2020
04
Women comprise 50% of primary aquaculture workforce globally
05
US fishing industry employed 1.2 million people in 2022
06
Small-scale fishers number 40 million worldwide in 2020
07
Indonesia fisheries employ 7.5 million people
08
China has 14 million fishers in capture fisheries
09
India employs 14 million in fisheries sector
10
Vietnam aquaculture jobs total 4.5 million
11
Bangladesh fisheries provide 11% of employment
12
EU fisheries direct jobs 135,000 in 2021
13
Norway seafood industry employs 35,000
14
Alaska fisheries support 48,000 jobs
15
Philippines fisheries employ 1.6 million
16
Thailand has 500,000 fishers
17
Peru fisheries jobs 100,000 direct
18
Japan fishing workforce 150,000 in 2020
19
Chile salmon farming employs 60,000
20
Small-scale fisheries employ 90% of global fishers
21
Africa fisheries jobs 12 million
22
Asia dominates with 85% of fisheries employment
23
Youth under 25 are 25% of fishers in developing countries
Interpretation
Employment Statistics Interpretation
Employment in fishing and aquaculture totals about 59.5 million globally in 2020, with capture fisheries accounting for 36.5 million and aquaculture for 23 million, highlighting how both segments together drive large-scale jobs alongside strong gender representation where women make up half of the primary aquaculture workforce.
03 · Category
Production Statistics30 stats
01
Global capture fisheries production reached 90.3 million tonnes in 2020
02
Aquaculture production worldwide hit 87.5 million tonnes in 2020
03
China led global aquaculture production with 52.2 million tonnes in 2020
04
Norway's salmon aquaculture production was 1.5 million tonnes in 2021
05
Global fish production totalled 178.8 million tonnes in 2020
06
Inland capture fisheries produced 11.8 million tonnes in 2020
07
Marine capture fisheries yielded 78.5 million tonnes in 2020
08
Indonesia's capture fisheries production was 7.8 million tonnes in 2020
09
Peru's anchoveta catch reached 2.0 million tonnes in 2021
10
US commercial landings totalled 4.8 million tonnes in 2022
11
Alaska pollock landings were 1.3 million tonnes in 2022
12
EU capture fisheries production was 3.4 million tonnes in 2021
13
Japan's tuna catch amounted to 0.4 million tonnes in 2020
14
Vietnam aquaculture production grew to 4.5 million tonnes in 2020
15
Bangladesh inland fisheries produced 4.2 million tonnes in 2020
16
Chile's salmon production was 0.8 million tonnes in 2021
17
India's marine capture was 4.1 million tonnes in 2020
18
Thailand's shrimp aquaculture output was 0.3 million tonnes in 2020
19
Russia's pollock catch hit 1.4 million tonnes in 2021
20
Egypt's aquaculture production reached 2.0 million tonnes in 2020
21
Global seaweed aquaculture was 35.1 million tonnes in 2020
22
Iran's capture fisheries produced 1.2 million tonnes in 2020
23
Philippines aquaculture output was 1.8 million tonnes in 2020
24
Morocco's sardine catch was 0.9 million tonnes in 2021
25
Turkey's aquaculture production grew to 0.8 million tonnes in 2020
26
Myanmar's inland capture was 1.4 million tonnes in 2020
27
South Korea's capture production was 0.7 million tonnes in 2020
28
Ecuador's tuna catch reached 0.6 million tonnes in 2021
29
Global carp aquaculture dominated with 25 million tonnes in 2020
30
Nigeria's inland fisheries produced 1.1 million tonnes in 2020
Interpretation
Production Statistics Interpretation
Production statistics show the world produced 178.8 million tonnes of fish in 2020, with nearly half coming from both capture fisheries at 90.3 million tonnes and aquaculture at 87.5 million tonnes, underscoring how both routes are now central to meeting global demand.
More related reading
04 · Category
Sustainability And Environmental Statistics28 stats
01
35% of global stocks fished at unsustainable levels in 2020
02
64% of fish stocks assessed as sustainably fished in 2020
03
Overfished stocks increased to 37% globally since 1970s
04
Bycatch represents 10% of global catch annually
05
Illegal fishing accounts for 11-26% of catch worth $23 billion
06
Marine protected areas cover 8% of oceans protecting fisheries
07
Aquaculture growth rate 5.8% annually 2001-2020
08
Fish provides 20% of animal protein in low-income countries
09
Climate change projected to reduce catches 3% by 2050
10
90% of large predatory fish populations declined since 1950
11
EU discards reduced to 1% due to landing obligation
12
Tuna stocks 30% overfished in Pacific
13
Mangrove loss 35% since 1980 impacts shrimp farming
14
Farmed fish feed conversion ratio improved to 1.5:1
15
Ghost fishing from lost gear kills 640,000 tonnes yearly
16
58 million tonnes of fish used for reduction to meal/oil
17
Coral reef fisheries support 6 million tonnes catch
18
Acidification threatens shellfish production by 2050
19
Sustainable certifications cover 20% of wild catch
20
Inland fisheries underreported by 50%
21
Plastic pollution affects 80% of marine mammals impacting fisheries
22
Rebuilding stocks could increase production by 35 million tonnes
23
62.3% of assessed fish stocks are fished at biologically sustainable levels in 2022
24
36.6% of assessed fish stocks are fished at biologically unsustainable levels in 2022
25
7.4% of assessed fish stocks are overfished in 2022
26
29.2% of assessed fish stocks are fished at biologically unsustainable levels (fully exploited/maximally fished) but not overfished in 2022
27
37.7% of assessed fish stocks are fished at biologically sustainable levels (fully exploited, not overfished) in 2022
28
24.6% of assessed fish stocks are fished at biologically sustainable levels (underexploited) in 2022
Interpretation
Sustainability And Environmental Statistics Interpretation
In sustainability and environmental terms, the data shows progress is limited as only 64% of fish stocks were assessed as sustainably fished in 2020 while 35% were still fished at unsustainable levels, alongside an ongoing pressure from bycatch at 10% of global catch and illegal fishing making up 11 to 26% of catch worth about 23 billion dollars.
report visual · Breakdown
Share of assessed fish stocks by sustainability status (2022)
In 2022, most assessed global fish stocks were fished at biologically sustainable levels (leader: 62.3%), while 36.6% were fished at biologically unsustainable levels—an overall ga
62.3%
62.3% of assessed fish stocks are fished at biologically sustainable levels in 2022
37.7%
37.7% of assessed fish stocks are fished at biologically sustainable levels (fully exploited, not overfished) in 2022
source-verifiedopenknowledge.fao.org2022
05 · Category
Trade And Market Statistics22 stats
01
Global fish trade volume was 28.2 million tonnes in 2020
02
Fish accounted for 17% of global animal protein supply in 2020
03
China imported $20 billion in seafood in 2021
04
US seafood imports total $25 billion annually
05
Norway exported seafood to 90 countries worth €15 billion in 2022
06
Vietnam top shrimp exporter with 20% global share
07
EU imported 5.7 million tonnes of fish in 2021
08
Japan consumes 50 kg fish per capita annually
09
Global per capita fish consumption 20.7 kg in 2020
10
Ecuador banana trade but shrimp $6 billion exports
11
Thailand frozen seafood exports 600,000 tonnes yearly
12
India frozen shrimp exports 0.6 million tonnes in 2021
13
China exported $15 billion seafood in 2021
14
Iceland exports 80% of catch mainly to EU
15
Peru fishmeal exports 1.2 million tonnes in 2021
16
Russia crab exports to China $1 billion
17
Morocco sardine exports 80% of production
18
Global frozen fish market $120 billion in 2022
19
Salmon trade volume 2.5 million tonnes in 2021
20
Tuna canned market $40 billion globally
21
Aquaculture products 51% of trade by volume in 2020
22
Developing countries export 53% of global fish trade
Interpretation
Trade And Market Statistics Interpretation
Global fish trade reached 28.2 million tonnes in 2020, and with China importing $20 billion in seafood in 2021 and the US taking in about $25 billion annually, the trade and market picture shows major demand concentrated in a few key importing hubs while producers like Vietnam and Norway scale exports.
Reference
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APA
Kevin O'Brien. (2026, February 13). Fishing Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/fishing-industry-statistics
MLA
Kevin O'Brien. "Fishing Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/fishing-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Kevin O'Brien. 2026. "Fishing Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/fishing-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
2 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level