Fish catch by fishing sector in Ireland
Ireland: Fish catch by fishing sector was 235,453 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
235,453
Change on year
down 14.2%
World rank
48th
of 170 countries
All-time high
476,980
in 1995
All-time low
9,412
in 1951
Years of data
69
1950–2018
Fish catch by fishing sector in Ireland, 1950–2018
Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2018, fish catch by fishing sector in Ireland stood at 235,453.
The figure is down 14.2% on the previous year and down 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fish catch by fishing sector in Ireland peaked at 476,980 in 1995 and was at its lowest, 9,412, in 1951.
That places Ireland 48th out of 170 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fish catch by fishing sector in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 10,264 | — |
| 1951 | 9,412 | -8.3% |
| 1952 | 10,538 | +12.0% |
| 1953 | 11,772 | +11.7% |
| 1954 | 12,950 | +10.0% |
| 1955 | 15,653 | +20.9% |
| 1956 | 19,436 | +24.2% |
| 1957 | 26,796 | +37.9% |
| 1958 | 27,074 | +1.0% |
| 1959 | 29,687 | +9.7% |
| 1960 | 35,480 | +19.5% |
| 1961 | 27,075 | -23.7% |
| 1962 | 24,590 | -9.2% |
| 1963 | 23,110 | -6.0% |
| 1964 | 27,666 | +19.7% |
| 1965 | 30,948 | +11.9% |
| 1966 | 34,370 | +11.1% |
| 1967 | 43,438 | +26.4% |
| 1968 | 44,402 | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 56,705 | +27.7% |
| 1970 | 66,600 | +17.4% |
| 1971 | 63,151 | -5.2% |
| 1972 | 78,342 | +24.1% |
| 1973 | 79,081 | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 78,470 | -0.8% |
| 1975 | 75,053 | -4.4% |
| 1976 | 84,223 | +12.2% |
| 1977 | 86,661 | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 107,089 | +23.6% |
| 1979 | 87,425 | -18.4% |
| 1980 | 141,490 | +61.8% |
| 1981 | 185,621 | +31.2% |
| 1982 | 203,624 | +9.7% |
| 1983 | 195,983 | -3.8% |
| 1984 | 194,617 | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 217,509 | +11.8% |
| 1986 | 217,409 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 262,855 | +20.9% |
| 1988 | 321,496 | +22.3% |
| 1989 | 278,908 | -13.2% |
| 1990 | 271,433 | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 294,739 | +8.6% |
| 1992 | 316,642 | +7.4% |
| 1993 | 356,642 | +12.6% |
| 1994 | 360,940 | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 476,980 | +32.1% |
| 1996 | 435,877 | -8.6% |
| 1997 | 381,190 | -12.5% |
| 1998 | 424,495 | +11.4% |
| 1999 | 353,015 | -16.8% |
| 2000 | 352,828 | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 398,487 | +12.9% |
| 2002 | 321,165 | -19.4% |
| 2003 | 301,936 | -6.0% |
| 2004 | 314,102 | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 307,256 | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 255,238 | -16.9% |
| 2007 | 277,961 | +8.9% |
| 2008 | 267,119 | -3.9% |
| 2009 | 318,390 | +19.2% |
| 2010 | 350,040 | +9.9% |
| 2011 | 283,103 | -19.1% |
| 2012 | 306,521 | +8.3% |
| 2013 | 249,617 | -18.6% |
| 2014 | 272,065 | +9.0% |
| 2015 | 256,522 | -5.7% |
| 2016 | 260,803 | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 274,549 | +5.3% |
| 2018 | 235,453 | -14.2% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 235,453 is above the median for high income countries, which is 65,050, 3.6× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 235,453 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 235,176, 1.0× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 17,358 | 9,412 | 29,687 | 10 |
| 1960s | 34,778 | 23,110 | 56,705 | 10 |
| 1970s | 80,609 | 63,151 | 107,089 | 10 |
| 1980s | 221,951 | 141,490 | 321,496 | 10 |
| 1990s | 367,195 | 271,433 | 476,980 | 10 |
| 2000s | 311,448 | 255,238 | 398,487 | 10 |
| 2010s | 276,519 | 235,453 | 350,040 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More agriculture & rural data for Ireland
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 22.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0106 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,391 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.9559 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3541 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fish catch by fishing sector in Ireland?
- Fish catch by fishing sector in Ireland was 235,453 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 476,980 in 1995.
- What is the lowest fish catch by fishing sector recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,412 in 1951.
- How does Ireland rank for fish catch by fishing sector?
- Ireland ranks 48th out of 170 countries with data for 2018.
- Is fish catch by fishing sector rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland 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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