Wild fish catch by gear type in Ghana
Ghana: Wild fish catch by gear type was 41,857 tonnes in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
41,857 tonnes
Change on year
up 21.0%
World rank
53rd
of 111 countries
All-time high
139,903 tonnes
in 1973
All-time low
424.96 tonnes
in 1955
Years of data
69
1950–2018
Wild fish catch by gear type in Ghana, 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 Ghana is 41,857 tonnes, measured in 2018.
The figure is up 21.0% on the previous year and down 17.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wild fish catch by gear type in Ghana peaked at 139,903 tonnes in 1973 and was at its lowest, 424.96 tonnes, in 1955.
Ghana ranks 53rd of 111 countries on this measure, 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 Ghana, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 672.78 tonnes | — |
| 1951 | 698.1 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1952 | 508.12 tonnes | -27.2% |
| 1953 | 636.82 tonnes | +25.3% |
| 1954 | 471.66 tonnes | -25.9% |
| 1955 | 424.96 tonnes | -9.9% |
| 1956 | 753.07 tonnes | +77.2% |
| 1957 | 842.68 tonnes | +11.9% |
| 1958 | 1,849 tonnes | +119.5% |
| 1959 | 2,248 tonnes | +21.6% |
| 1960 | 2,008 tonnes | -10.7% |
| 1961 | 2,267 tonnes | +12.9% |
| 1962 | 5,501 tonnes | +142.7% |
| 1963 | 16,896 tonnes | +207.2% |
| 1964 | 26,863 tonnes | +59.0% |
| 1965 | 55,202 tonnes | +105.5% |
| 1966 | 54,054 tonnes | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 52,234 tonnes | -3.4% |
| 1968 | 41,027 tonnes | -21.5% |
| 1969 | 65,246 tonnes | +59.0% |
| 1970 | 80,492 tonnes | +23.4% |
| 1971 | 74,465 tonnes | -7.5% |
| 1972 | 117,026 tonnes | +57.2% |
| 1973 | 139,903 tonnes | +19.5% |
| 1974 | 80,103 tonnes | -42.7% |
| 1975 | 120,163 tonnes | +50.0% |
| 1976 | 127,886 tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1977 | 120,296 tonnes | -5.9% |
| 1978 | 73,051 tonnes | -39.3% |
| 1979 | 75,816 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1980 | 61,012 tonnes | -19.5% |
| 1981 | 49,029 tonnes | -19.6% |
| 1982 | 49,269 tonnes | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 54,995 tonnes | +11.6% |
| 1984 | 53,955 tonnes | -1.9% |
| 1985 | 57,371 tonnes | +6.3% |
| 1986 | 56,859 tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 38,626 tonnes | -32.1% |
| 1988 | 24,972 tonnes | -35.4% |
| 1989 | 33,976 tonnes | +36.1% |
| 1990 | 40,704 tonnes | +19.8% |
| 1991 | 34,587 tonnes | -15.0% |
| 1992 | 28,265 tonnes | -18.3% |
| 1993 | 23,042 tonnes | -18.5% |
| 1994 | 28,384 tonnes | +23.2% |
| 1995 | 26,415 tonnes | -6.9% |
| 1996 | 37,259 tonnes | +41.1% |
| 1997 | 32,166 tonnes | -13.7% |
| 1998 | 31,797 tonnes | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 39,688 tonnes | +24.8% |
| 2000 | 22,296 tonnes | -43.8% |
| 2001 | 28,704 tonnes | +28.7% |
| 2002 | 34,257 tonnes | +19.3% |
| 2003 | 47,516 tonnes | +38.7% |
| 2004 | 41,826 tonnes | -12.0% |
| 2005 | 41,479 tonnes | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 40,616 tonnes | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 52,286 tonnes | +28.7% |
| 2008 | 50,862 tonnes | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 50,903 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 39,191 tonnes | -23.0% |
| 2011 | 32,966 tonnes | -15.9% |
| 2012 | 33,492 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 38,107 tonnes | +13.8% |
| 2014 | 36,441 tonnes | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 40,950 tonnes | +12.4% |
| 2016 | 41,889 tonnes | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 34,580 tonnes | -17.4% |
| 2018 | 41,857 tonnes | +21.0% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 41,857 tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 43,597 tonnes, 96% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 41,857 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14,282 tonnes, 2.9× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Wild fish catch by gear type in Ghana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | +207.2% | 5,501 tonnes | 16,896 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 910.6 tonnes | 424.96 tonnes | 2,248 tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 32,130 tonnes | 2,008 tonnes | 65,246 tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 100,920 tonnes | 73,051 tonnes | 139,903 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 48,006 tonnes | 24,972 tonnes | 61,012 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 32,231 tonnes | 23,042 tonnes | 40,704 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 41,075 tonnes | 22,296 tonnes | 52,286 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 37,719 tonnes | 32,966 tonnes | 41,889 tonnes | 9 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More agriculture & rural data for Ghana
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 41.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2128 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 692.99 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4821 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4108 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 21.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 21.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.6% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is wild fish catch by gear type in Ghana?
- Wild fish catch by gear type in Ghana was 41,857 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 139,903 tonnes in 1973.
- What is the lowest wild fish catch by gear type recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 424.96 tonnes in 1955.
- How does Ghana rank for wild fish catch by gear type?
- Ghana ranks 53rd out of 111 countries with data for 2018.
- Is wild fish catch by gear type rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana 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).