Wild fish catch by gear type in Australia
Australia: Wild fish catch by gear type was 54,548 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Wild fish catch by gear type in Australia, 1950–2018
Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Australia recorded 54,548 for wild fish catch by gear type in 2018.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.2% on the previous year and up 40.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wild fish catch by gear type in Australia peaked at 94,232 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 12,164, in 1951.
That places Australia 22nd out of 123 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.
Wild fish catch by gear type in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12,201 | — |
| 1951 | 12,164 | -0.3% |
| 1952 | 14,011 | +15.2% |
| 1953 | 15,165 | +8.2% |
| 1954 | 16,246 | +7.1% |
| 1955 | 17,067 | +5.1% |
| 1956 | 16,944 | -0.7% |
| 1957 | 17,221 | +1.6% |
| 1958 | 15,299 | -11.2% |
| 1959 | 15,237 | -0.4% |
| 1960 | 16,124 | +5.8% |
| 1961 | 16,530 | +2.5% |
| 1962 | 17,534 | +6.1% |
| 1963 | 19,014 | +8.4% |
| 1964 | 18,463 | -2.9% |
| 1965 | 19,590 | +6.1% |
| 1966 | 22,937 | +17.1% |
| 1967 | 25,273 | +10.2% |
| 1968 | 27,999 | +10.8% |
| 1969 | 22,651 | -19.1% |
| 1970 | 23,561 | +4.0% |
| 1971 | 25,780 | +9.4% |
| 1972 | 26,816 | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 29,025 | +8.2% |
| 1974 | 32,686 | +12.6% |
| 1975 | 30,866 | -5.6% |
| 1976 | 32,212 | +4.4% |
| 1977 | 34,187 | +6.1% |
| 1978 | 36,943 | +8.1% |
| 1979 | 37,358 | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 37,101 | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 36,629 | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 39,310 | +7.3% |
| 1983 | 41,790 | +6.3% |
| 1984 | 44,234 | +5.8% |
| 1985 | 43,761 | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 46,395 | +6.0% |
| 1987 | 63,508 | +36.9% |
| 1988 | 69,103 | +8.8% |
| 1989 | 51,035 | -26.1% |
| 1990 | 94,232 | +84.6% |
| 1991 | 91,854 | -2.5% |
| 1992 | 85,972 | -6.4% |
| 1993 | 74,189 | -13.7% |
| 1994 | 70,234 | -5.3% |
| 1995 | 63,634 | -9.4% |
| 1996 | 58,239 | -8.5% |
| 1997 | 56,710 | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 62,198 | +9.7% |
| 1999 | 56,130 | -9.8% |
| 2000 | 52,282 | -6.9% |
| 2001 | 38,065 | -27.2% |
| 2002 | 42,838 | +12.5% |
| 2003 | 44,401 | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 48,410 | +9.0% |
| 2005 | 48,830 | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 37,134 | -24.0% |
| 2007 | 40,374 | +8.7% |
| 2008 | 38,764 | -4.0% |
| 2009 | 27,935 | -27.9% |
| 2010 | 59,149 | +111.7% |
| 2011 | 56,564 | -4.4% |
| 2012 | 79,598 | +40.7% |
| 2013 | 78,346 | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 52,427 | -33.1% |
| 2015 | 52,133 | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 55,364 | +6.2% |
| 2017 | 55,760 | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 54,548 | -2.2% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 54,548 is above the median for high income countries, which is 5,878, 9.3× the median. (49 countries reporting)
- Australia's 54,548 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 855.29, 63.8× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Wild fish catch by gear type in Australia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +111.7% | 27,935 | 59,149 |
| 1990 | +84.6% | 51,035 | 94,232 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 15,156 | 12,164 | 17,221 | 10 |
| 1960s | 20,611 | 16,124 | 27,999 | 10 |
| 1970s | 30,944 | 23,561 | 37,358 | 10 |
| 1980s | 47,287 | 36,629 | 69,103 | 10 |
| 1990s | 71,339 | 56,130 | 94,232 | 10 |
| 2000s | 41,903 | 27,935 | 52,282 | 10 |
| 2010s | 60,432 | 52,133 | 79,598 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More agriculture & rural data for Australia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0227 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,476 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.5855 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1228 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is wild fish catch by gear type in Australia?
- Wild fish catch by gear type in Australia was 54,548 in 2018, according to Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest wild fish catch by gear type recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 94,232 in 1990.
- What is the lowest wild fish catch by gear type recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 12,164 in 1951.
- How does Australia rank for wild fish catch by gear type?
- Australia ranks 22nd out of 123 countries with data for 2018.
- Is wild fish catch by gear type rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Wild fish catch by gear type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 69 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).