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Estimated numbers of individuals in annual global capture tonnage (FAO) of fish species
used for reduction to fishmeal & fish oil (2007-2016)

 
This table shows the estimated numbers of fishes used for reduction each year, which total 462,293 - 1,119,626 million, or 0.5 - 1 trillion to the nearest significant figure.
For more details on this estimate, see 'Estimate of numbers of fishes used for reduction to fishmeal and fish oil, and other non-food purposes, each year'.

Scroll to the end to see the totals.
Click on the species name to view calculation of reduction tonnage.
Click on the 'EMW id' for details on derivation of estimated mean weight using methods in Note 3 below.

 

Data for 2007-2016
FAO Species CategoryTotal
capture1
(t)
Estimated
capture
for
reduction2
(t)
Estimated
mean
weight (EMW)3
id
Estimated
mean
weight
(EMW)3
(g)
Estimated
numbers
used for
reduction4a
(millions)
1Anchoveta(=Peruvian anchovy) (Engraulis ringens)5,547,6615,381,231EMW-2010-29187,238-538,123
2Marine fishes nei9,413,4541,397,699Not estimated
3Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus)1,290,3841,146,377EMW-25720-2252,108-57,319
4Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus)1,972,252520,858EMW-60100-600868-5,209
5Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus)501,771501,771EMW-2492342,148
6Capelin (Mallotus villosus)529,169333,376EMW-21017-506,668-19,657
7Blue whiting(=Poutassou) (Micromesistius poutassou)904,453298,469EMW-159135-340878-2,211
8Sandeels(=Sandlances) nei (Ammodytes spp)289,515272,144EMW-3061027,214
9European pilchard(=Sardine) (Sardina pilchardus)1,129,409259,874EMW-23069-1272,043-3,777
10European sprat (Sprattus sprattus)555,361208,959EMW-2331712,557
11Pacific chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus)1,410,355197,450EMW-215100-750263-1,974
12Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus)197,371197,371EMW-63162-349565-1,218
13Southern African anchovy (Engraulis capensis)215,552187,530EMW-3258-384,935-23,095
14Sardinellas nei (Sardinella spp)985,295167,500EMW-3077-224749-25,312
15Pacific anchoveta (Cetengraulis mysticetus)154,262149,634EMW-28511-246,246-13,027
16Chilean jack mackerel (Trachurus murphyi)806,817141,788EMW-213200-1,000142-709
17Kawakawa (Euthynnus affinis)325,774130,309EMW-2635,00026
18Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)948,442115,190EMW-62389-454254-296
19California pilchard (Sardinops sagax)437,936100,725EMW-200120-183550-839
20European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus)490,41985,299EMW-2288-382,245-10,505
21Jack and horse mackerels nei (Trachurus spp)498,17679,591EMW-25611-1,00080-7,048
22Cape horse mackerel (Trachurus capensis)298,27365,620EMW-209291226
23Indian oil sardine (Sardinella longiceps)502,35259,533EMW-25387-132451-688
24Araucanian herring (Strangomera bentincki)591,48059,148EMW-3327-341,751-2,186
25Sharks, rays, skates, etc. nei244,13658,593Not estimated
26Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii)54,03254,032EMW-28320-281,926-2,711
27Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias)364,49051,029EMW-483100-75068-510
28Short mackerel318,91151,026Not estimated
29Round sardinella (Sardinella aurita)323,64650,740EMW-304100507
30Indian mackerels nei299,00747,841Not estimated
31Clupeoids nei456,06445,606Not estimated
32Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)184,06540,494EMW-61160253
33Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii pallasii)401,13940,114EMW-28964-400100-627
34Pacific saury (Cololabis saira)476,12434,083EMW-29283413
35Southern African pilchard (Sardinops sagax)129,96131,191EMW-326120-183170-260
36Madeiran sardinella (Sardinella maderensis)171,29329,120EMW-27530-224130-985
37Southern blue whiting (Micromesistius australis)70,40923,235EMW-32740058
38Okhotsk atka mackerel (Pleurogrammus azonus)133,01321,282EMW-2841,29516
39Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)1,244,79420,432EMW-3455,000-20,0001-4
40Cyprinids nei637,54311,064Not estimated
41Black and Caspian Sea sprat (Clupeonella cultriventris)61,6579,865EMW-823-42,294-3,182
42Mediterranean horse mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus)23,1519,261EMW-27611-60015-820
43Pelagic percomorphs nei34,0527,491Not estimated
44Blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus)15,5552,178EMW-1531,0002
Totals for all species above35,638,97212,696,125
    
    
Sub totals Total
capture1
(t)
Estimated
capture
for
reduction2
(t)
Percent
of total
reduction
tonnage
%
Estimated
numbers
used for
reduction
(millions)
Based on regional reduction percentages8a:
     Species used for reduction:
        Species with an estimated mean weight (EMW)21,153,98510,844,00567313,933 - 759,083
        Species without an EMW9,136,9871,522,1259Not estimated
     Species not used for reduction526,677,17800
Total based on regional reduction percentages56,968,15012,366,13076
    
Based on extrapolated regional reduction percentages8b:
     Species used for reduction:
        Species with an estimated mean weight (EMW)904,748232,79912,230 - 6,632
        Species without an EMW649,66497,1951Not estimated
     Species not used for reduction53,626,56900
Total based on extrapolated regional reduction percentages5,180,981329,9952
    
Total tonnage for species with estimated reduction tonnage62,149,13112,696,12578
    
    
Totals Total
capture1
(t)
Estimated
capture
for
reduction2
(t)
Percent
of total
reduction
tonnage
%
Estimated
numbers
used for
reduction4b
(millions)
Species for which reduction tonnage has been estimated:
     Species used for reduction:
        Species with an estimated mean weight (EMW)24,235,80611,076,80568316,163 - 765,715
        Species without an EMW11,403,1661,619,32010 46,220 - 111,940
     Species not used for reduction526,510,15900
Total for species with estimated reduction tonnage62,149,13112,696,12578
    
Species for which reduction tonnage not estimated614,481,9363,500,3512299,910 - 241,971
All fish capture776,631,06716,196,476100462,293 - 1,119,626

Estimated by A Mood and P Brooke, September 2019


Notes
1. Source of capture tonnage: Reference 1 (below).
2. (a) The capture tonnage used for reduction for species categories (except for Norway pout) is estimated using the proportions of total capture used for reduction for the top 20 capture species categories in nine geographical regions for 2007-2011 obtained from Reference 2 (below).
    (b) The capture tonnage used for reduction for Norway pout is assumed to equal total capture based on Reference 3 (below).
3. Source of estimated mean weights (EMWs) : Study to estimate the global annual numbers of fish caught.
4. (a) The tonnage used for reduction divided by estimated mean weight (EMW) where a mean weight has been estimated for the species category.
    (b) The figures in italics are extrapolated from the figure not in italics based on the precentage of total reduction tonnage.
5. The capture tonnage for species whose estimated reduction tonnage is nil can be viewed here. These are species which, according to Reference 2 (below), are used 100% for human food uses rather than for reduction in the regions in which they are one of the top capture species.
6. For some species, the proportion used for reduction cannot be estimated from data given in Reference 2 (below) since they are not one of the top capture species in any geographical region. The capture tonnage for species for which capture tonnage for reduction has not been estimated can be viewed here.
The total capture for reduction for these species is derived as the total fish capture used for reduction (see note 7) less the total capture for reduction estimated for specific species.
7. The total fish capture tonnage used for reduction is derived as the total fisheries capture used for reduction obtained from Reference 4 (below) less the capture for Antarctic krill. Antarctic krill is a small crustacean which we assume is used entirely for reduction and is the only non-fish species caught for this purpose.
8. (a) Sub totals for species categories based on regional reduction percentages. These are estimated reduction tonnages for species categories in regions based on the proportions of total capture used for reduction for the species category and region obtained from Reference 2 (below).
    (b) Sub totals for species categories based on extrapolated regional reduction percentages. These are estimated reduction tonnages for species categories in regions based on the proportions of total capture used for reduction for the species category and region extrapolated from Reference 2 (below). The extrapolated reduction percentage is the lowest reduction percentage of all regions for that species category.


References
1. FAO FishStat 'Capture Production 1950-2016 (Release Date: 15th March 2018).'
2. Assessing Environmental Sustainability And Value Addition Opportunities For By-Products From Aquaculture (2014). Appendix 1. Richard Newton
3. "Fishsource Norway pout: North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat". Accessed at https://www.fishsource.org/stock_page/1851 on 24.05.2019
4. FAO 2018. FAO yearbook. Fishery and Aquaculture Statistics 2016