Wild fish catch by gear type in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Wild fish catch by gear type was 36,405 tonnes in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
36,405 tonnes
Change on year
down 33.3%
World rank
55th
of 111 countries
All-time high
61,840 tonnes
in 2000
All-time low
3,171 tonnes
in 1971
Years of data
48
1971–2018
Wild fish catch by gear type in Sierra Leone, 1971–2018
Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2018, wild fish catch by gear type in Sierra Leone stood at 36,405 tonnes.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 33.3% on the previous year and down 19.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wild fish catch by gear type in Sierra Leone peaked at 61,840 tonnes in 2000 and was at its lowest, 3,171 tonnes, in 1971.
Sierra Leone ranks 55th 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 Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 3,171 tonnes | — |
| 1972 | 4,763 tonnes | +50.2% |
| 1973 | 5,981 tonnes | +25.6% |
| 1974 | 7,832 tonnes | +30.9% |
| 1975 | 8,185 tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1976 | 12,070 tonnes | +47.5% |
| 1977 | 18,032 tonnes | +49.4% |
| 1978 | 23,111 tonnes | +28.2% |
| 1979 | 19,202 tonnes | -16.9% |
| 1980 | 11,550 tonnes | -39.8% |
| 1981 | 12,135 tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1982 | 13,412 tonnes | +10.5% |
| 1983 | 15,844 tonnes | +18.1% |
| 1984 | 17,994 tonnes | +13.6% |
| 1985 | 20,364 tonnes | +13.2% |
| 1986 | 20,212 tonnes | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 20,768 tonnes | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 22,889 tonnes | +10.2% |
| 1989 | 20,560 tonnes | -10.2% |
| 1990 | 26,835 tonnes | +30.5% |
| 1991 | 35,986 tonnes | +34.1% |
| 1992 | 33,248 tonnes | -7.6% |
| 1993 | 42,293 tonnes | +27.2% |
| 1994 | 34,658 tonnes | -18.1% |
| 1995 | 37,566 tonnes | +8.4% |
| 1996 | 27,600 tonnes | -26.5% |
| 1997 | 38,380 tonnes | +39.1% |
| 1998 | 47,186 tonnes | +22.9% |
| 1999 | 49,724 tonnes | +5.4% |
| 2000 | 61,840 tonnes | +24.4% |
| 2001 | 55,316 tonnes | -10.5% |
| 2002 | 56,120 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 43,944 tonnes | -21.7% |
| 2004 | 36,388 tonnes | -17.2% |
| 2005 | 32,163 tonnes | -11.6% |
| 2006 | 32,895 tonnes | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 38,459 tonnes | +16.9% |
| 2008 | 45,327 tonnes | +17.9% |
| 2009 | 56,122 tonnes | +23.8% |
| 2010 | 59,388 tonnes | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 55,119 tonnes | -7.2% |
| 2012 | 55,048 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 54,959 tonnes | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 54,781 tonnes | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 54,774 tonnes | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 54,552 tonnes | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 54,552 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 36,405 tonnes | -33.3% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 36,405 tonnes is above the median for low income countries, which is 1,477 tonnes, 24.7× the median. (10 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 36,405 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14,282 tonnes, 2.5× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 11,372 tonnes | 3,171 tonnes | 23,111 tonnes | 9 |
| 1980s | 17,573 tonnes | 11,550 tonnes | 22,889 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 37,348 tonnes | 26,835 tonnes | 49,724 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 45,858 tonnes | 32,163 tonnes | 61,840 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 53,286 tonnes | 36,405 tonnes | 59,388 tonnes | 9 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More agriculture & rural data for Sierra Leone
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2954 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 250 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5407 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 29.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 29.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 9.4% (2018)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.6% (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is wild fish catch by gear type in Sierra Leone?
- Wild fish catch by gear type in Sierra Leone was 36,405 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 61,840 tonnes in 2000.
- What is the lowest wild fish catch by gear type recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,171 tonnes in 1971.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for wild fish catch by gear type?
- Sierra Leone ranks 55th out of 111 countries with data for 2018.
- Is wild fish catch by gear type rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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 — 48 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).