Fish and seafood production in China
China: Fish and seafood production was 64.16 million tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
64.16 million tonnes
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 192 countries
All-time high
64.16 million tonnes
in 2021
All-time low
2.84 million tonnes
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fish and seafood production in China, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2023, fish and seafood production in China stood at 64.16 million tonnes. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fish and seafood production in China peaked at 64.16 million tonnes in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.84 million tonnes, in 1961.
That places China 1st out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fish and seafood production in China, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.84 million tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 2.94 million tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1963 | 2.94 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 2.94 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 3.15 million tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1966 | 3.15 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 3.15 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 3.26 million tonnes | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 3.26 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 3.25 million tonnes | -0.0% |
| 1971 | 3.55 million tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1972 | 3.89 million tonnes | +9.4% |
| 1973 | 3.98 million tonnes | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 4.34 million tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1975 | 4.53 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1976 | 4.63 million tonnes | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 4.82 million tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1978 | 4.61 million tonnes | -4.2% |
| 1979 | 4.25 million tonnes | -8.0% |
| 1980 | 4.46 million tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1981 | 4.61 million tonnes | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 5.19 million tonnes | +12.7% |
| 1983 | 5.63 million tonnes | +8.4% |
| 1984 | 6.36 million tonnes | +13.0% |
| 1985 | 7.33 million tonnes | +15.3% |
| 1986 | 8.72 million tonnes | +19.0% |
| 1987 | 10.24 million tonnes | +17.5% |
| 1988 | 11.38 million tonnes | +11.1% |
| 1989 | 12.21 million tonnes | +7.3% |
| 1990 | 13.14 million tonnes | +7.6% |
| 1991 | 14.25 million tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1992 | 16.58 million tonnes | +16.3% |
| 1993 | 19.71 million tonnes | +18.9% |
| 1994 | 23.83 million tonnes | +20.9% |
| 1995 | 28.42 million tonnes | +19.2% |
| 1996 | 31.90 million tonnes | +12.2% |
| 1997 | 32.58 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 34.04 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 35.16 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 36.17 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 36.88 million tonnes | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 38.32 million tonnes | +3.9% |
| 2003 | 39.43 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 41.03 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 42.71 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 44.49 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 46.07 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 47.52 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 49.70 million tonnes | +4.6% |
| 2010 | 50.32 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 51.60 million tonnes | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 53.33 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 55.69 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 58.41 million tonnes | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 60.13 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 61.60 million tonnes | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 62.20 million tonnes | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 62.21 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 62.24 million tonnes | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 62.85 million tonnes | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 64.16 million tonnes | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 64.16 million tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 64.16 million tonnes | +0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 64.16 million tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 38,000 tonnes, 1688.4× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- China's 64.16 million tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 178,000 tonnes, 360.4× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.07 million tonnes | 2.84 million tonnes | 3.26 million tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.19 million tonnes | 3.25 million tonnes | 4.82 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.61 million tonnes | 4.46 million tonnes | 12.21 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.96 million tonnes | 13.14 million tonnes | 35.16 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 42.23 million tonnes | 36.17 million tonnes | 49.70 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.77 million tonnes | 50.32 million tonnes | 62.24 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.83 million tonnes | 62.85 million tonnes | 64.16 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fish and seafood production in China?
- Fish and seafood production in China was 64.16 million tonnes in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fish and seafood production recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 64.16 million tonnes in 2021.
- What is the lowest fish and seafood production recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.84 million tonnes in 1961.
- How does China rank for fish and seafood production?
- China ranks 1st out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fish and seafood production rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fish and seafood production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Fish and seafood production is measured as the sum of seafood from wild catch and fish farming (aquaculture).