Wild fish catch by gear type in Australia
Australia: Wild fish catch by gear type was 36,429 tonnes in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
36,429 tonnes
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
54th
of 111 countries
All-time high
189,783 tonnes
in 1989
All-time low
15,411 tonnes
in 1950
Years of data
69
1950–2018
Wild fish catch by gear type in Australia, 1950–2018
Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for wild fish catch by gear type in Australia is 36,429 tonnes, measured in 2018.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 28.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wild fish catch by gear type in Australia peaked at 189,783 tonnes in 1989 and was at its lowest, 15,411 tonnes, in 1950.
That places Australia 54th out of 111 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.
Wild fish catch by gear type in Australia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 15,411 tonnes | — |
| 1951 | 16,072 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1952 | 17,858 tonnes | +11.1% |
| 1953 | 20,194 tonnes | +13.1% |
| 1954 | 20,523 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1955 | 21,788 tonnes | +6.2% |
| 1956 | 23,016 tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1957 | 24,320 tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1958 | 25,071 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1959 | 27,554 tonnes | +9.9% |
| 1960 | 28,573 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1961 | 27,508 tonnes | -3.7% |
| 1962 | 30,912 tonnes | +12.4% |
| 1963 | 35,137 tonnes | +13.7% |
| 1964 | 36,695 tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1965 | 36,736 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 37,700 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 42,832 tonnes | +13.6% |
| 1968 | 48,125 tonnes | +12.4% |
| 1969 | 57,242 tonnes | +18.9% |
| 1970 | 72,425 tonnes | +26.5% |
| 1971 | 105,388 tonnes | +45.5% |
| 1972 | 106,696 tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 117,463 tonnes | +10.1% |
| 1974 | 135,938 tonnes | +15.7% |
| 1975 | 90,416 tonnes | -33.5% |
| 1976 | 113,873 tonnes | +25.9% |
| 1977 | 137,719 tonnes | +20.9% |
| 1978 | 134,989 tonnes | -2.0% |
| 1979 | 148,233 tonnes | +9.8% |
| 1980 | 107,571 tonnes | -27.4% |
| 1981 | 180,815 tonnes | +68.1% |
| 1982 | 184,966 tonnes | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 179,814 tonnes | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 159,499 tonnes | -11.3% |
| 1985 | 152,885 tonnes | -4.1% |
| 1986 | 142,718 tonnes | -6.7% |
| 1987 | 148,672 tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 160,125 tonnes | +7.7% |
| 1989 | 189,783 tonnes | +18.5% |
| 1990 | 141,261 tonnes | -25.6% |
| 1991 | 173,743 tonnes | +23.0% |
| 1992 | 141,520 tonnes | -18.5% |
| 1993 | 140,477 tonnes | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 133,994 tonnes | -4.6% |
| 1995 | 162,119 tonnes | +21.0% |
| 1996 | 139,277 tonnes | -14.1% |
| 1997 | 145,917 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 148,081 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 153,909 tonnes | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 120,328 tonnes | -21.8% |
| 2001 | 132,662 tonnes | +10.3% |
| 2002 | 82,409 tonnes | -37.9% |
| 2003 | 81,316 tonnes | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 77,842 tonnes | -4.3% |
| 2005 | 67,213 tonnes | -13.7% |
| 2006 | 61,969 tonnes | -7.8% |
| 2007 | 51,465 tonnes | -17.0% |
| 2008 | 50,612 tonnes | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 49,644 tonnes | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 46,921 tonnes | -5.5% |
| 2011 | 46,958 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 42,696 tonnes | -9.1% |
| 2013 | 39,740 tonnes | -6.9% |
| 2014 | 36,302 tonnes | -8.7% |
| 2015 | 36,252 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 38,232 tonnes | +5.5% |
| 2017 | 36,595 tonnes | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 36,429 tonnes | -0.5% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 36,429 tonnes is below the median for high income countries, which is 47,385 tonnes, 77% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Australia's 36,429 tonnes is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 464,776 tonnes, 8% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 21,181 tonnes | 15,411 tonnes | 27,554 tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 38,146 tonnes | 27,508 tonnes | 57,242 tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 116,314 tonnes | 72,425 tonnes | 148,233 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 160,685 tonnes | 107,571 tonnes | 189,783 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 148,030 tonnes | 133,994 tonnes | 173,743 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 77,546 tonnes | 49,644 tonnes | 132,662 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 40,014 tonnes | 36,252 tonnes | 46,958 tonnes | 9 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More agriculture & rural data for Australia
- 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)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1228 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is wild fish catch by gear type in Australia?
- Wild fish catch by gear type in Australia was 36,429 tonnes in 2018, according to Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest wild fish catch by gear type recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 189,783 tonnes in 1989.
- What is the lowest wild fish catch by gear type recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 15,411 tonnes in 1950.
- How does Australia rank for wild fish catch by gear type?
- Australia ranks 54th out of 111 countries with data for 2018.
- Is wild fish catch by gear type rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.0%. 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 Wild fish catch by gear type. 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).