Fish catch by fishing sector in Ghana
Ghana: Fish catch by fishing sector was 312,898 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
312,898
Change on year
up 15.2%
World rank
41st
of 170 countries
All-time high
375,547
in 1976
All-time low
1,999
in 1950
Years of data
69
1950–2018
Fish catch by fishing sector in Ghana, 1950–2018
Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fish catch by fishing sector in Ghana is 312,898, measured in 2018.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 15.2% on the previous year and up 42.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fish catch by fishing sector in Ghana peaked at 375,547 in 1976 and was at its lowest, 1,999, in 1950.
That places Ghana 41st out of 170 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fish catch by fishing sector in Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,999 | — |
| 1951 | 2,006 | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 2,042 | +1.8% |
| 1953 | 2,060 | +0.9% |
| 1954 | 2,118 | +2.8% |
| 1955 | 2,162 | +2.1% |
| 1956 | 2,686 | +24.2% |
| 1957 | 2,912 | +8.4% |
| 1958 | 4,952 | +70.0% |
| 1959 | 11,565 | +133.5% |
| 1960 | 5,918 | -48.8% |
| 1961 | 6,645 | +12.3% |
| 1962 | 13,010 | +95.8% |
| 1963 | 30,901 | +137.5% |
| 1964 | 80,506 | +160.5% |
| 1965 | 95,344 | +18.4% |
| 1966 | 94,988 | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 103,188 | +8.6% |
| 1968 | 76,151 | -26.2% |
| 1969 | 121,348 | +59.4% |
| 1970 | 139,055 | +14.6% |
| 1971 | 201,049 | +44.6% |
| 1972 | 283,908 | +41.2% |
| 1973 | 359,841 | +26.7% |
| 1974 | 265,282 | -26.3% |
| 1975 | 372,824 | +40.5% |
| 1976 | 375,547 | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 351,294 | -6.5% |
| 1978 | 256,582 | -27.0% |
| 1979 | 173,827 | -32.3% |
| 1980 | 256,280 | +47.4% |
| 1981 | 250,955 | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 264,530 | +5.4% |
| 1983 | 272,154 | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 236,544 | -13.1% |
| 1985 | 248,056 | +4.9% |
| 1986 | 244,372 | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 236,747 | -3.1% |
| 1988 | 234,901 | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 248,506 | +5.8% |
| 1990 | 262,503 | +5.6% |
| 1991 | 221,752 | -15.5% |
| 1992 | 211,094 | -4.8% |
| 1993 | 190,581 | -9.7% |
| 1994 | 195,096 | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 202,315 | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 231,441 | +14.4% |
| 1997 | 219,922 | -5.0% |
| 1998 | 240,006 | +9.1% |
| 1999 | 276,669 | +15.3% |
| 2000 | 236,178 | -14.6% |
| 2001 | 265,886 | +12.6% |
| 2002 | 246,265 | -7.4% |
| 2003 | 269,208 | +9.3% |
| 2004 | 257,289 | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 250,667 | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 213,902 | -14.7% |
| 2007 | 227,686 | +6.4% |
| 2008 | 219,456 | -3.6% |
| 2009 | 249,316 | +13.6% |
| 2010 | 257,757 | +3.4% |
| 2011 | 212,732 | -17.5% |
| 2012 | 237,836 | +11.8% |
| 2013 | 217,541 | -8.5% |
| 2014 | 245,703 | +12.9% |
| 2015 | 266,321 | +8.4% |
| 2016 | 268,209 | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 271,643 | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 312,898 | +15.2% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 312,898 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 71,100, 4.4× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 312,898 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30,898, 10.1× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fish catch by fishing sector in Ghana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | +160.5% | 30,901 | 80,506 |
| 1963 | +137.5% | 13,010 | 30,901 |
| 1959 | +133.5% | 4,952 | 11,565 |
| 1962 | +95.8% | 6,645 | 13,010 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3,450 | 1,999 | 11,565 | 10 |
| 1960s | 62,800 | 5,918 | 121,348 | 10 |
| 1970s | 277,921 | 139,055 | 375,547 | 10 |
| 1980s | 249,304 | 234,901 | 272,154 | 10 |
| 1990s | 225,138 | 190,581 | 276,669 | 10 |
| 2000s | 243,585 | 213,902 | 269,208 | 10 |
| 2010s | 254,516 | 212,732 | 312,898 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More agriculture & rural data for Ghana
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 41.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2128 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 692.99 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4821 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4108 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 21.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 21.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.6% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fish catch by fishing sector in Ghana?
- Fish catch by fishing sector in Ghana was 312,898 in 2018, according to Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fish catch by fishing sector recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 375,547 in 1976.
- What is the lowest fish catch by fishing sector recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,999 in 1950.
- How does Ghana rank for fish catch by fishing sector?
- Ghana ranks 41st out of 170 countries with data for 2018.
- Is fish catch by fishing sector rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fish catch by fishing sector. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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