Fish landings and discards in Ireland
Ireland: Fish landings and discards was 25,844 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Fish landings and discards in Ireland, 1950–2018
Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2018, fish landings and discards in Ireland stood at 25,844.
The figure is down 23.4% on the previous year and down 26.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fish landings and discards in Ireland peaked at 83,732 in 1996 and was at its lowest, 1,504, in 1950.
Ireland ranks 41st of 161 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fish landings and discards in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,504 | — |
| 1951 | 1,671 | +11.1% |
| 1952 | 2,060 | +23.2% |
| 1953 | 2,168 | +5.3% |
| 1954 | 2,213 | +2.0% |
| 1955 | 2,722 | +23.0% |
| 1956 | 3,245 | +19.2% |
| 1957 | 3,825 | +17.9% |
| 1958 | 3,438 | -10.1% |
| 1959 | 3,636 | +5.8% |
| 1960 | 3,562 | -2.0% |
| 1961 | 3,102 | -12.9% |
| 1962 | 3,367 | +8.5% |
| 1963 | 3,329 | -1.1% |
| 1964 | 4,159 | +24.9% |
| 1965 | 4,076 | -2.0% |
| 1966 | 4,130 | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 4,708 | +14.0% |
| 1968 | 4,910 | +4.3% |
| 1969 | 5,512 | +12.3% |
| 1970 | 5,791 | +5.1% |
| 1971 | 5,770 | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 6,428 | +11.4% |
| 1973 | 7,444 | +15.8% |
| 1974 | 6,713 | -9.8% |
| 1975 | 7,158 | +6.6% |
| 1976 | 7,896 | +10.3% |
| 1977 | 9,525 | +20.6% |
| 1978 | 15,034 | +57.8% |
| 1979 | 9,033 | -39.9% |
| 1980 | 11,778 | +30.4% |
| 1981 | 16,042 | +36.2% |
| 1982 | 15,120 | -5.7% |
| 1983 | 14,427 | -4.6% |
| 1984 | 14,414 | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 15,081 | +4.6% |
| 1986 | 13,954 | -7.5% |
| 1987 | 44,791 | +221.0% |
| 1988 | 60,726 | +35.6% |
| 1989 | 59,622 | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 46,402 | -22.2% |
| 1991 | 47,792 | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 53,128 | +11.2% |
| 1993 | 70,336 | +32.4% |
| 1994 | 59,121 | -15.9% |
| 1995 | 79,739 | +34.9% |
| 1996 | 83,732 | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 79,366 | -5.2% |
| 1998 | 77,279 | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 53,082 | -31.3% |
| 2000 | 51,404 | -3.2% |
| 2001 | 51,632 | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 45,740 | -11.4% |
| 2003 | 41,372 | -9.5% |
| 2004 | 39,656 | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 37,229 | -6.1% |
| 2006 | 32,195 | -13.5% |
| 2007 | 38,552 | +19.7% |
| 2008 | 35,175 | -8.8% |
| 2009 | 37,924 | +7.8% |
| 2010 | 41,570 | +9.6% |
| 2011 | 24,566 | -40.9% |
| 2012 | 18,179 | -26.0% |
| 2013 | 15,610 | -14.1% |
| 2014 | 17,962 | +15.1% |
| 2015 | 28,879 | +60.8% |
| 2016 | 35,590 | +23.2% |
| 2017 | 33,719 | -5.3% |
| 2018 | 25,844 | -23.4% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 25,844 is above the median for high income countries, which is 8,028, 3.2× the median. (61 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 25,844 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15,212, 1.7× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fish landings and discards in Ireland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +221.0% | 13,954 | 44,791 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2,648 | 1,504 | 3,825 | 10 |
| 1960s | 4,086 | 3,102 | 5,512 | 10 |
| 1970s | 8,079 | 5,770 | 15,034 | 10 |
| 1980s | 26,596 | 11,778 | 60,726 | 10 |
| 1990s | 64,998 | 46,402 | 83,732 | 10 |
| 2000s | 41,088 | 32,195 | 51,632 | 10 |
| 2010s | 26,880 | 15,610 | 41,570 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More agriculture & rural data for Ireland
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.388 % 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 0.0796 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.7634 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 22.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0106 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,391 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.9559 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fish landings and discards in Ireland?
- Fish landings and discards in Ireland was 25,844 in 2018, according to Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fish landings and discards recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 83,732 in 1996.
- What is the lowest fish landings and discards recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,504 in 1950.
- How does Ireland rank for fish landings and discards?
- Ireland ranks 41st out of 161 countries with data for 2018.
- Is fish landings and discards rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland 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.