Fish landings and discards in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Fish landings and discards was 31,079 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Fish landings and discards in United Kingdom, 1950–2018
Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 31,079 for fish landings and discards in 2018.
The figure is down 30.0% on the previous year and down 39.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fish landings and discards in United Kingdom peaked at 248,693 in 1967 and was at its lowest, 25,927, in 1950.
That places United Kingdom 35th out of 161 countries with data for 2018, putting it 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 United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 25,927 | — |
| 1951 | 31,254 | +20.5% |
| 1952 | 233,876 | +648.3% |
| 1953 | 160,770 | -31.3% |
| 1954 | 109,463 | -31.9% |
| 1955 | 70,995 | -35.1% |
| 1956 | 57,954 | -18.4% |
| 1957 | 91,544 | +58.0% |
| 1958 | 87,565 | -4.3% |
| 1959 | 102,197 | +16.7% |
| 1960 | 119,611 | +17.0% |
| 1961 | 98,952 | -17.3% |
| 1962 | 120,285 | +21.6% |
| 1963 | 165,919 | +37.9% |
| 1964 | 199,105 | +20.0% |
| 1965 | 211,586 | +6.3% |
| 1966 | 211,289 | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 248,693 | +17.7% |
| 1968 | 158,213 | -36.4% |
| 1969 | 61,560 | -61.1% |
| 1970 | 75,380 | +22.4% |
| 1971 | 83,837 | +11.2% |
| 1972 | 92,077 | +9.8% |
| 1973 | 71,872 | -21.9% |
| 1974 | 68,862 | -4.2% |
| 1975 | 59,453 | -13.7% |
| 1976 | 60,951 | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 67,737 | +11.1% |
| 1978 | 82,721 | +22.1% |
| 1979 | 83,694 | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 101,843 | +21.7% |
| 1981 | 101,611 | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 114,554 | +12.7% |
| 1983 | 114,384 | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 107,043 | -6.4% |
| 1985 | 123,474 | +15.3% |
| 1986 | 105,366 | -14.7% |
| 1987 | 121,537 | +15.3% |
| 1988 | 128,335 | +5.6% |
| 1989 | 101,472 | -20.9% |
| 1990 | 97,754 | -3.7% |
| 1991 | 107,272 | +9.7% |
| 1992 | 101,904 | -5.0% |
| 1993 | 104,637 | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 99,037 | -5.4% |
| 1995 | 95,328 | -3.7% |
| 1996 | 99,696 | +4.6% |
| 1997 | 88,026 | -11.7% |
| 1998 | 85,361 | -3.0% |
| 1999 | 78,852 | -7.6% |
| 2000 | 69,349 | -12.1% |
| 2001 | 52,326 | -24.5% |
| 2002 | 67,210 | +28.4% |
| 2003 | 58,158 | -13.5% |
| 2004 | 60,903 | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 42,368 | -30.4% |
| 2006 | 53,959 | +27.4% |
| 2007 | 49,862 | -7.6% |
| 2008 | 51,632 | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 53,891 | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 52,468 | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 43,412 | -17.3% |
| 2012 | 45,220 | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 39,438 | -12.8% |
| 2014 | 40,367 | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 41,939 | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 44,098 | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 44,410 | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 31,079 | -30.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 31,079 is above the median for high income countries, which is 8,028, 3.9× the median. (61 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 31,079 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15,212, 2.0× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fish landings and discards in United Kingdom 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | +648.3% | 31,254 | 233,876 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 97,154 | 25,927 | 233,876 | 10 |
| 1960s | 159,521 | 61,560 | 248,693 | 10 |
| 1970s | 74,658 | 59,453 | 92,077 | 10 |
| 1980s | 111,962 | 101,472 | 128,335 | 10 |
| 1990s | 95,787 | 78,852 | 107,272 | 10 |
| 2000s | 55,966 | 42,368 | 69,349 | 10 |
| 2010s | 42,492 | 31,079 | 52,468 | 9 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More agriculture & rural data for United Kingdom
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.2731 % 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 0.0861 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.8055 % 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 0.2384 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0064 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 368.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1852 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fish landings and discards in United Kingdom?
- Fish landings and discards in United Kingdom was 31,079 in 2018, according to Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fish landings and discards recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 248,693 in 1967.
- What is the lowest fish landings and discards recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 25,927 in 1950.
- How does United Kingdom rank for fish landings and discards?
- United Kingdom ranks 35th out of 161 countries with data for 2018.
- Is fish landings and discards rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.