Wild fish catch by gear type in United States
United States: Wild fish catch by gear type was 278,658 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Wild fish catch by gear type in United States, 1950–2018
Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for wild fish catch by gear type in United States is 278,658, measured in 2018.
That represents a change of down 10.3% on the previous year and down 23.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wild fish catch by gear type in United States peaked at 853,371 in 1987 and was at its lowest, 39,823, in 1950.
United States ranks 7th of 123 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Wild fish catch by gear type in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 39,823 | — |
| 1951 | 42,825 | +7.5% |
| 1952 | 46,180 | +7.8% |
| 1953 | 50,882 | +10.2% |
| 1954 | 56,247 | +10.5% |
| 1955 | 58,130 | +3.3% |
| 1956 | 63,598 | +9.4% |
| 1957 | 69,223 | +8.8% |
| 1958 | 72,245 | +4.4% |
| 1959 | 81,157 | +12.3% |
| 1960 | 83,693 | +3.1% |
| 1961 | 85,958 | +2.7% |
| 1962 | 91,736 | +6.7% |
| 1963 | 98,161 | +7.0% |
| 1964 | 97,414 | -0.8% |
| 1965 | 104,011 | +6.8% |
| 1966 | 112,424 | +8.1% |
| 1967 | 117,974 | +4.9% |
| 1968 | 121,174 | +2.7% |
| 1969 | 130,318 | +7.5% |
| 1970 | 149,528 | +14.7% |
| 1971 | 177,876 | +19.0% |
| 1972 | 176,548 | -0.7% |
| 1973 | 207,959 | +17.8% |
| 1974 | 222,713 | +7.1% |
| 1975 | 228,604 | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 242,901 | +6.3% |
| 1977 | 234,381 | -3.5% |
| 1978 | 416,678 | +77.8% |
| 1979 | 404,046 | -3.0% |
| 1980 | 392,874 | -2.8% |
| 1981 | 580,940 | +47.9% |
| 1982 | 747,831 | +28.7% |
| 1983 | 627,060 | -16.1% |
| 1984 | 716,043 | +14.2% |
| 1985 | 719,519 | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 820,582 | +14.0% |
| 1987 | 853,371 | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 624,464 | -26.8% |
| 1989 | 652,413 | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 651,245 | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 355,452 | -45.4% |
| 1992 | 340,724 | -4.1% |
| 1993 | 551,210 | +61.8% |
| 1994 | 351,043 | -36.3% |
| 1995 | 399,116 | +13.7% |
| 1996 | 313,072 | -21.6% |
| 1997 | 279,735 | -10.6% |
| 1998 | 273,447 | -2.2% |
| 1999 | 319,034 | +16.7% |
| 2000 | 341,920 | +7.2% |
| 2001 | 341,166 | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 336,525 | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 370,013 | +10.0% |
| 2004 | 360,711 | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 331,656 | -8.1% |
| 2006 | 339,239 | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 332,840 | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 362,191 | +8.8% |
| 2009 | 408,409 | +12.8% |
| 2010 | 438,596 | +7.4% |
| 2011 | 446,253 | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 533,084 | +19.5% |
| 2013 | 539,041 | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 353,751 | -34.4% |
| 2015 | 342,646 | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 333,747 | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 310,633 | -6.9% |
| 2018 | 278,658 | -10.3% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 278,658 is above the median for high income countries, which is 5,878, 47.4× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Wild fish catch by gear type in United States 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +77.8% | 234,381 | 416,678 |
| 1993 | +61.8% | 340,724 | 551,210 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 58,031 | 39,823 | 81,157 | 10 |
| 1960s | 104,286 | 83,693 | 130,318 | 10 |
| 1970s | 246,123 | 149,528 | 416,678 | 10 |
| 1980s | 673,510 | 392,874 | 853,371 | 10 |
| 1990s | 383,408 | 273,447 | 651,245 | 10 |
| 2000s | 352,467 | 331,656 | 408,409 | 10 |
| 2010s | 397,379 | 278,658 | 539,041 | 9 |
Countries ranked near United States
More agriculture & rural data for United States
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 11.96 % change on previous year (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0094 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 673.66 current US$ per person (2021)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.1831 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1981 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.9% (2021)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.9% (2021)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is wild fish catch by gear type in United States?
- Wild fish catch by gear type in United States was 278,658 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 United States?
- The highest recorded value was 853,371 in 1987.
- What is the lowest wild fish catch by gear type recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 39,823 in 1950.
- How does United States rank for wild fish catch by gear type?
- United States ranks 7th out of 123 countries with data for 2018.
- Is wild fish catch by gear type rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States 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).