Wild fish catch by gear type in Ghana
Ghana: Wild fish catch by gear type was 5,952 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
5,952
Change on year
up 5.5%
World rank
49th
of 123 countries
All-time high
87,874
in 1972
All-time low
996.43
in 1951
Years of data
69
1950–2018
Wild fish catch by gear type in Ghana, 1950–2018
Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2018, wild fish catch by gear type in Ghana stood at 5,952.
That represents a change of up 5.5% on the previous year and down 43.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wild fish catch by gear type in Ghana peaked at 87,874 in 1972 and was at its lowest, 996.43, in 1951.
Ghana ranks 49th of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Wild fish catch by gear type in Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,012 | — |
| 1951 | 996.43 | -1.6% |
| 1952 | 1,195 | +19.9% |
| 1953 | 1,098 | -8.1% |
| 1954 | 1,304 | +18.8% |
| 1955 | 1,395 | +6.9% |
| 1956 | 1,325 | -5.0% |
| 1957 | 1,283 | -3.2% |
| 1958 | 1,720 | +34.1% |
| 1959 | 2,129 | +23.8% |
| 1960 | 2,510 | +17.9% |
| 1961 | 2,798 | +11.5% |
| 1962 | 4,924 | +76.0% |
| 1963 | 10,412 | +111.4% |
| 1964 | 16,962 | +62.9% |
| 1965 | 30,994 | +82.7% |
| 1966 | 30,292 | -2.3% |
| 1967 | 31,550 | +4.2% |
| 1968 | 21,804 | -30.9% |
| 1969 | 31,372 | +43.9% |
| 1970 | 37,421 | +19.3% |
| 1971 | 72,042 | +92.5% |
| 1972 | 87,874 | +22.0% |
| 1973 | 59,102 | -32.7% |
| 1974 | 52,037 | -12.0% |
| 1975 | 70,269 | +35.0% |
| 1976 | 66,154 | -5.9% |
| 1977 | 64,553 | -2.4% |
| 1978 | 55,942 | -13.3% |
| 1979 | 53,203 | -4.9% |
| 1980 | 49,362 | -7.2% |
| 1981 | 48,123 | -2.5% |
| 1982 | 45,962 | -4.5% |
| 1983 | 45,291 | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 44,877 | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 45,326 | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 47,431 | +4.6% |
| 1987 | 49,440 | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 52,668 | +6.5% |
| 1989 | 52,651 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 53,590 | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 10,221 | -80.9% |
| 1992 | 10,768 | +5.4% |
| 1993 | 11,269 | +4.7% |
| 1994 | 11,728 | +4.1% |
| 1995 | 12,190 | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 12,654 | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 13,160 | +4.0% |
| 1998 | 15,584 | +18.4% |
| 1999 | 14,246 | -8.6% |
| 2000 | 20,446 | +43.5% |
| 2001 | 15,435 | -24.5% |
| 2002 | 15,985 | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 16,577 | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 17,337 | +4.6% |
| 2005 | 17,840 | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 15,434 | -13.5% |
| 2007 | 12,966 | -16.0% |
| 2008 | 10,588 | -18.3% |
| 2009 | 8,364 | -21.0% |
| 2010 | 6,241 | -25.4% |
| 2011 | 6,064 | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 4,658 | -23.2% |
| 2013 | 4,861 | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 4,816 | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 5,761 | +19.6% |
| 2016 | 5,425 | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 5,642 | +4.0% |
| 2018 | 5,952 | +5.5% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 5,952 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 827.75, 7.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 5,952 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 354.28, 16.8× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Wild fish catch by gear type 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | +111.4% | 4,924 | 10,412 |
| 1971 | +92.5% | 37,421 | 72,042 |
| 1991 | -80.9% | 53,590 | 10,221 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1,346 | 996.43 | 2,129 | 10 |
| 1960s | 18,362 | 2,510 | 31,550 | 10 |
| 1970s | 61,860 | 37,421 | 87,874 | 10 |
| 1980s | 48,113 | 44,877 | 52,668 | 10 |
| 1990s | 16,541 | 10,221 | 53,590 | 10 |
| 2000s | 15,097 | 8,364 | 20,446 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5,491 | 4,658 | 6,241 | 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 wild fish catch by gear type in Ghana?
- Wild fish catch by gear type in Ghana was 5,952 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 87,874 in 1972.
- What is the lowest wild fish catch by gear type recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 996.43 in 1951.
- How does Ghana rank for wild fish catch by gear type?
- Ghana ranks 49th out of 123 countries with data for 2018.
- Is wild fish catch by gear type rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.8%. 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 Wild fish catch by gear type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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