Fish landings and discards in Australia
Australia: Fish landings and discards was 21,571 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Fish landings and discards in Australia, 1950–2018
Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2018, fish landings and discards in Australia stood at 21,571.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fish landings and discards in Australia peaked at 144,782 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 8,428, in 1950.
That places Australia 48th out of 161 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 landings and discards in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 8,428 | — |
| 1951 | 9,411 | +11.7% |
| 1952 | 10,732 | +14.0% |
| 1953 | 11,965 | +11.5% |
| 1954 | 12,647 | +5.7% |
| 1955 | 13,779 | +8.9% |
| 1956 | 14,940 | +8.4% |
| 1957 | 15,933 | +6.7% |
| 1958 | 16,587 | +4.1% |
| 1959 | 18,558 | +11.9% |
| 1960 | 18,494 | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 17,664 | -4.5% |
| 1962 | 19,308 | +9.3% |
| 1963 | 22,971 | +19.0% |
| 1964 | 24,303 | +5.8% |
| 1965 | 25,036 | +3.0% |
| 1966 | 26,718 | +6.7% |
| 1967 | 31,513 | +17.9% |
| 1968 | 35,187 | +11.7% |
| 1969 | 43,300 | +23.1% |
| 1970 | 54,560 | +26.0% |
| 1971 | 84,107 | +54.2% |
| 1972 | 85,601 | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 92,070 | +7.6% |
| 1974 | 110,035 | +19.5% |
| 1975 | 71,630 | -34.9% |
| 1976 | 90,693 | +26.6% |
| 1977 | 110,550 | +21.9% |
| 1978 | 99,992 | -9.6% |
| 1979 | 112,000 | +12.0% |
| 1980 | 68,404 | -38.9% |
| 1981 | 128,711 | +88.2% |
| 1982 | 120,544 | -6.3% |
| 1983 | 117,638 | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 115,094 | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 117,131 | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 104,328 | -10.9% |
| 1987 | 118,527 | +13.6% |
| 1988 | 125,592 | +6.0% |
| 1989 | 140,935 | +12.2% |
| 1990 | 120,597 | -14.4% |
| 1991 | 144,782 | +20.1% |
| 1992 | 115,083 | -20.5% |
| 1993 | 117,689 | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 101,794 | -13.5% |
| 1995 | 123,331 | +21.2% |
| 1996 | 114,696 | -7.0% |
| 1997 | 119,452 | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 121,590 | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 123,090 | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 91,811 | -25.4% |
| 2001 | 109,138 | +18.9% |
| 2002 | 47,820 | -56.2% |
| 2003 | 44,788 | -6.3% |
| 2004 | 38,663 | -13.7% |
| 2005 | 32,117 | -16.9% |
| 2006 | 31,007 | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 22,698 | -26.8% |
| 2008 | 23,918 | +5.4% |
| 2009 | 24,090 | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 23,651 | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 21,742 | -8.1% |
| 2012 | 22,266 | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 21,469 | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 18,518 | -13.7% |
| 2015 | 19,452 | +5.0% |
| 2016 | 22,490 | +15.6% |
| 2017 | 21,788 | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 21,571 | -1.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 21,571 is above the median for high income countries, which is 8,028, 2.7× the median. (61 countries reporting)
- Australia's 21,571 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5,675, 3.8× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fish landings and discards 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +88.2% | 68,404 | 128,711 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13,298 | 8,428 | 18,558 | 10 |
| 1960s | 26,449 | 17,664 | 43,300 | 10 |
| 1970s | 91,124 | 54,560 | 112,000 | 10 |
| 1980s | 115,690 | 68,404 | 140,935 | 10 |
| 1990s | 120,210 | 101,794 | 144,782 | 10 |
| 2000s | 46,605 | 22,698 | 109,138 | 10 |
| 2010s | 21,438 | 18,518 | 23,651 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More agriculture & rural data for Australia
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.4449 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 1.16 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.2372 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 12.7 hectares per person (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fish landings and discards in Australia?
- Fish landings and discards in Australia was 21,571 in 2018, according to Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fish landings and discards recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 144,782 in 1991.
- What is the lowest fish landings and discards recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8,428 in 1950.
- How does Australia rank for fish landings and discards?
- Australia ranks 48th out of 161 countries with data for 2018.
- Is fish landings and discards rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.8%. 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 Fish landings and discards. 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).
About this data
– Landings represent aquatic animals that are caught and brought ashore for use. – Discards are animals thrown back (alive or dead) into the sea after being caught during fishing activities.