Global aquaculture production and wild fish used for animal feed in South Africa
South Africa: Global aquaculture production and wild fish used for animal feed was 239,238 tonnes in 2015. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2015)
239,238 tonnes
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
16th
of 69 countries
All-time high
3.44 million tonnes
in 1968
All-time low
75,588 tonnes
in 1996
Years of data
66
1950–2015
Global aquaculture production and wild fish used for animal feed in South Africa, 1950–2015
Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 239,238 tonnes for global aquaculture production and wild fish used for animal feed in 2015.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, global aquaculture production and wild fish used for animal feed in South Africa peaked at 3.44 million tonnes in 1968 and was at its lowest, 75,588 tonnes, in 1996.
South Africa ranks 16th of 69 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Global aquaculture production and wild fish used for animal feed in South Africa, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 220,808 tonnes | — |
| 1951 | 437,872 tonnes | +98.3% |
| 1952 | 703,278 tonnes | +60.6% |
| 1953 | 734,912 tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1954 | 702,194 tonnes | -4.5% |
| 1955 | 644,998 tonnes | -8.1% |
| 1956 | 581,758 tonnes | -9.8% |
| 1957 | 638,944 tonnes | +9.8% |
| 1958 | 690,899 tonnes | +8.1% |
| 1959 | 802,221 tonnes | +16.1% |
| 1960 | 857,861 tonnes | +6.9% |
| 1961 | 1.05 million tonnes | +22.5% |
| 1962 | 1.17 million tonnes | +11.3% |
| 1963 | 1.50 million tonnes | +28.5% |
| 1964 | 1.55 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1965 | 1.64 million tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1966 | 1.74 million tonnes | +6.2% |
| 1967 | 2.26 million tonnes | +30.0% |
| 1968 | 3.44 million tonnes | +51.8% |
| 1969 | 2.97 million tonnes | -13.7% |
| 1970 | 1.67 million tonnes | -43.8% |
| 1971 | 1.32 million tonnes | -21.0% |
| 1972 | 1.37 million tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1973 | 1.81 million tonnes | +31.7% |
| 1974 | 1.99 million tonnes | +9.9% |
| 1975 | 1.82 million tonnes | -8.4% |
| 1976 | 1.46 million tonnes | -20.1% |
| 1977 | 892,982 tonnes | -38.7% |
| 1978 | 1.07 million tonnes | +19.7% |
| 1979 | 971,861 tonnes | -9.1% |
| 1980 | 775,766 tonnes | -20.2% |
| 1981 | 845,447 tonnes | +9.0% |
| 1982 | 587,693 tonnes | -30.5% |
| 1983 | 729,579 tonnes | +24.1% |
| 1984 | 441,273 tonnes | -39.5% |
| 1985 | 503,857 tonnes | +14.2% |
| 1986 | 469,913 tonnes | -6.7% |
| 1987 | 1.50 million tonnes | +219.2% |
| 1988 | 949,584 tonnes | -36.7% |
| 1989 | 625,011 tonnes | -34.2% |
| 1990 | 212,294 tonnes | -66.0% |
| 1991 | 197,391 tonnes | -7.0% |
| 1992 | 395,136 tonnes | +100.2% |
| 1993 | 281,332 tonnes | -28.8% |
| 1994 | 235,174 tonnes | -16.4% |
| 1995 | 206,005 tonnes | -12.4% |
| 1996 | 75,588 tonnes | -63.3% |
| 1997 | 98,438 tonnes | +30.2% |
| 1998 | 143,051 tonnes | +45.3% |
| 1999 | 206,117 tonnes | +44.1% |
| 2000 | 285,820 tonnes | +38.7% |
| 2001 | 299,904 tonnes | +4.9% |
| 2002 | 215,913 tonnes | -28.0% |
| 2003 | 261,988 tonnes | +21.3% |
| 2004 | 193,852 tonnes | -26.0% |
| 2005 | 286,502 tonnes | +47.8% |
| 2006 | 137,302 tonnes | -52.1% |
| 2007 | 256,161 tonnes | +86.6% |
| 2008 | 269,053 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 2009 | 178,145 tonnes | -33.8% |
| 2010 | 220,579 tonnes | +23.8% |
| 2011 | 124,586 tonnes | -43.5% |
| 2012 | 310,429 tonnes | +149.2% |
| 2013 | 81,318 tonnes | -73.8% |
| 2014 | 242,091 tonnes | +197.7% |
| 2015 | 239,238 tonnes | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 615,788 tonnes | 220,808 tonnes | 802,221 tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.82 million tonnes | 857,861 tonnes | 3.44 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.44 million tonnes | 892,982 tonnes | 1.99 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 742,820 tonnes | 441,273 tonnes | 1.50 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 205,053 tonnes | 75,588 tonnes | 395,136 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 238,464 tonnes | 137,302 tonnes | 299,904 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 203,040 tonnes | 81,318 tonnes | 310,429 tonnes | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is global aquaculture production and wild fish used for animal feed in South Africa?
- Global aquaculture production and wild fish used for animal feed in South Africa was 239,238 tonnes in 2015, according to Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest global aquaculture production and wild fish used for animal feed recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.44 million tonnes in 1968.
- What is the lowest global aquaculture production and wild fish used for animal feed recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 75,588 tonnes in 1996.
- How does South Africa rank for global aquaculture production and wild fish used for animal feed?
- South Africa ranks 16th out of 69 countries with data for 2015.
- Is global aquaculture production and wild fish used for animal feed rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Global aquaculture production and wild fish used for animal feed. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Some wild fish catch is processed into fishmeal and oils for animal feed – this is used for land-based livestock and fish farms (aquaculture). Efficiency improvements in aquaculture, and changes in the diets of farmed fish means production has increased rapidly, without increasing inputs from wild fish.