Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in North Korea
North Korea: Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture was 685,700 metric tons in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
685,700 metric tons
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
17th
of 215 countries
All-time high
1.20 million metric tons
in 1989
All-time low
5,236 metric tons
in 1960
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in North Korea, 1960–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in metric tons.
Analysis
North Korea recorded 685,700 metric tons for seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 20.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in North Korea peaked at 1.20 million metric tons in 1989 and was at its lowest, 5,236 metric tons, in 1960.
North Korea ranks 17th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in North Korea, year by year
| Year | metric tons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5,236 metric tons | — |
| 1961 | 6,287 metric tons | +20.1% |
| 1962 | 7,556 metric tons | +20.2% |
| 1963 | 9,229 metric tons | +22.1% |
| 1964 | 11,410 metric tons | +23.6% |
| 1965 | 14,143 metric tons | +24.0% |
| 1966 | 17,841 metric tons | +26.1% |
| 1967 | 24,690 metric tons | +38.4% |
| 1968 | 40,218 metric tons | +62.9% |
| 1969 | 55,844 metric tons | +38.9% |
| 1970 | 71,743 metric tons | +28.5% |
| 1971 | 88,133 metric tons | +22.8% |
| 1972 | 105,263 metric tons | +19.4% |
| 1973 | 123,457 metric tons | +17.3% |
| 1974 | 143,138 metric tons | +15.9% |
| 1975 | 165,608 metric tons | +15.7% |
| 1976 | 192,889 metric tons | +16.5% |
| 1977 | 223,564 metric tons | +15.9% |
| 1978 | 258,006 metric tons | +15.4% |
| 1979 | 297,961 metric tons | +15.5% |
| 1980 | 347,299 metric tons | +16.6% |
| 1981 | 404,354 metric tons | +16.4% |
| 1982 | 470,917 metric tons | +16.5% |
| 1983 | 549,383 metric tons | +16.7% |
| 1984 | 694,800 metric tons | +26.5% |
| 1985 | 744,900 metric tons | +7.2% |
| 1986 | 855,100 metric tons | +14.8% |
| 1987 | 1.08 million metric tons | +26.3% |
| 1988 | 1.09 million metric tons | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 1.20 million metric tons | +10.1% |
| 1990 | 900,000 metric tons | -25.0% |
| 1991 | 950,000 metric tons | +5.6% |
| 1992 | 1.10 million metric tons | +15.8% |
| 1993 | 1.13 million metric tons | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 817,039 metric tons | -27.7% |
| 1995 | 738,317 metric tons | -9.6% |
| 1996 | 782,475 metric tons | +6.0% |
| 1997 | 489,321 metric tons | -37.5% |
| 1998 | 481,500 metric tons | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 481,500 metric tons | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 467,700 metric tons | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 508,095 metric tons | +8.6% |
| 2002 | 508,095 metric tons | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 508,095 metric tons | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 508,105 metric tons | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 508,175 metric tons | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 508,180 metric tons | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 508,250 metric tons | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 508,550 metric tons | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 508,660 metric tons | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 509,785 metric tons | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 509,800 metric tons | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 510,610 metric tons | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 511,675 metric tons | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 567,545 metric tons | +10.9% |
| 2015 | 567,750 metric tons | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 619,750 metric tons | +9.2% |
| 2017 | 628,060 metric tons | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 680,060 metric tons | +8.3% |
| 2019 | 681,560 metric tons | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 682,300 metric tons | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 684,560 metric tons | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 684,700 metric tons | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 685,200 metric tons | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 685,700 metric tons | +0.1% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 685,700 metric tons is above the median for low income countries, which is 1,165 metric tons, 588.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 685,700 metric tons is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,310 metric tons, 523.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 19,245 metric tons | 5,236 metric tons | 55,844 metric tons | 10 |
| 1970s | 166,976 metric tons | 71,743 metric tons | 297,961 metric tons | 10 |
| 1980s | 743,675 metric tons | 347,299 metric tons | 1.20 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1990s | 787,015 metric tons | 481,500 metric tons | 1.13 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2000s | 504,190 metric tons | 467,700 metric tons | 508,660 metric tons | 10 |
| 2010s | 578,660 metric tons | 509,785 metric tons | 681,560 metric tons | 10 |
| 2020s | 684,492 metric tons | 682,300 metric tons | 685,700 metric tons | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More agriculture & rural data for North Korea
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0256 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population 9.52 million (2025)
- Rural population growth -0.6% (2025)
- Rural population 35.8% (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3581 units per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6454 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.0957 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0251 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.0976 hectares per person (2025)
- Aquaculture production 685,700 metric tons (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in North Korea?
- Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in North Korea was 685,700 metric tons in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1.20 million metric tons in 1989.
- What is the lowest seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 5,236 metric tons in 1960.
- How does North Korea rank for seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture?
- North Korea ranks 17th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Aquaculture means raising fish and other seafood — including molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants — in farms. Capture fishery production is how much wild fish is caught, whether for commercial, industrial, recreational, or subsistence use.