Wild fish catch by gear type in Iceland
Iceland: Wild fish catch by gear type was 24,931 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
24,931
Change on year
up 19.2%
World rank
33rd
of 123 countries
All-time high
71,906
in 2016
All-time low
295.09
in 1950
Years of data
69
1950–2018
Wild fish catch by gear type in Iceland, 1950–2018
Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2018, wild fish catch by gear type in Iceland stood at 24,931.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 19.2% on the previous year and up 46.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wild fish catch by gear type in Iceland peaked at 71,906 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 295.09, in 1950.
Iceland ranks 33rd 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 Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 295.09 | — |
| 1951 | 345.93 | +17.2% |
| 1952 | 837.19 | +142.0% |
| 1953 | 1,159 | +38.4% |
| 1954 | 1,081 | -6.7% |
| 1955 | 908.72 | -16.0% |
| 1956 | 1,293 | +42.3% |
| 1957 | 1,666 | +28.9% |
| 1958 | 18,590 | +1015.6% |
| 1959 | 13,504 | -27.4% |
| 1960 | 8,439 | -37.5% |
| 1961 | 2,833 | -66.4% |
| 1962 | 4,283 | +51.2% |
| 1963 | 8,008 | +87.0% |
| 1964 | 7,599 | -5.1% |
| 1965 | 5,017 | -34.0% |
| 1966 | 4,959 | -1.2% |
| 1967 | 12,478 | +151.6% |
| 1968 | 8,361 | -33.0% |
| 1969 | 8,011 | -4.2% |
| 1970 | 8,022 | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 8,692 | +8.3% |
| 1972 | 9,164 | +5.4% |
| 1973 | 20,116 | +119.5% |
| 1974 | 35,205 | +75.0% |
| 1975 | 12,804 | -63.6% |
| 1976 | 44,583 | +248.2% |
| 1977 | 37,022 | -17.0% |
| 1978 | 66,726 | +80.2% |
| 1979 | 39,879 | -40.2% |
| 1980 | 23,528 | -41.0% |
| 1981 | 33,959 | +44.3% |
| 1982 | 22,113 | -34.9% |
| 1983 | 50,480 | +128.3% |
| 1984 | 27,735 | -45.1% |
| 1985 | 27,937 | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 21,354 | -23.6% |
| 1987 | 23,033 | +7.9% |
| 1988 | 39,915 | +73.3% |
| 1989 | 25,121 | -37.1% |
| 1990 | 16,440 | -34.6% |
| 1991 | 16,115 | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 23,838 | +47.9% |
| 1993 | 29,849 | +25.2% |
| 1994 | 24,667 | -17.4% |
| 1995 | 30,945 | +25.4% |
| 1996 | 19,352 | -37.5% |
| 1997 | 17,398 | -10.1% |
| 1998 | 20,125 | +15.7% |
| 1999 | 16,164 | -19.7% |
| 2000 | 12,171 | -24.7% |
| 2001 | 13,909 | +14.3% |
| 2002 | 22,078 | +58.7% |
| 2003 | 21,881 | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 19,750 | -9.7% |
| 2005 | 9,453 | -52.1% |
| 2006 | 5,576 | -41.0% |
| 2007 | 12,863 | +130.7% |
| 2008 | 17,072 | +32.7% |
| 2009 | 55,445 | +224.8% |
| 2010 | 29,625 | -46.6% |
| 2011 | 26,140 | -11.8% |
| 2012 | 16,401 | -37.3% |
| 2013 | 3,426 | -79.1% |
| 2014 | 9,743 | +184.4% |
| 2015 | 66,079 | +578.2% |
| 2016 | 71,906 | +8.8% |
| 2017 | 20,915 | -70.9% |
| 2018 | 24,931 | +19.2% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 24,931 is above the median for high income countries, which is 5,878, 4.2× the median. (49 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 24,931 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 13,209, 1.9× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Wild fish catch by gear type in Iceland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | +1015.6% | 1,666 | 18,590 |
| 2015 | +578.2% | 9,743 | 66,079 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3,968 | 295.09 | 18,590 | 10 |
| 1960s | 6,999 | 2,833 | 12,478 | 10 |
| 1970s | 28,221 | 8,022 | 66,726 | 10 |
| 1980s | 29,517 | 21,354 | 50,480 | 10 |
| 1990s | 21,489 | 16,115 | 30,945 | 10 |
| 2000s | 19,020 | 5,576 | 55,445 | 10 |
| 2010s | 29,907 | 3,426 | 71,906 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More agriculture & rural data for Iceland
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 19.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0365 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 3,593 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.8983 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.0578 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 3.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 3.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is wild fish catch by gear type in Iceland?
- Wild fish catch by gear type in Iceland was 24,931 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 71,906 in 2016.
- What is the lowest wild fish catch by gear type recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 295.09 in 1950.
- How does Iceland rank for wild fish catch by gear type?
- Iceland ranks 33rd out of 123 countries with data for 2018.
- Is wild fish catch by gear type rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland 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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