This study estimates the number of fish caught in global fishing each year, using FAO fisheries capture tonnages for 1999-2007 and estimated mean weights for fish species.

By this method it was estimated that 0.97-2.7 trillion wild fish are caught globally each year. Recognising the limitations of the fish-size data available, it is concluded that the number of fish caught is of the order of a trillion. This estimate does not include unrecorded fish capture, such as fish caught illegally and those caught as bycatch and discarded.

Great amberjack (Seriola dumerili). An estimated 90 to 300 thousand individuals of this species are caught each year

Greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili).
An estimated 90 to 300 thousand individuals of this species are caught each year.
Credit: OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP); University of North Carolina at Wilmington.


A brief description of the study is given on estimate of fish numbers. Full details and results of this study are given below. The study is also described in chapter 19 of Worse things happen at sea: the welfare of wild-caught fish (full report) (pdf 4,440 KB) and the key results given in Appendix A.

 
The study

This paper describes the method and discusses the results:

     Study to estimate numbers of fish caught in global fishing (pdf 109 KB)
      18 pages. July 2010.

 
Data web pages

These web pages show fish numbers estimated from FAO capture tonnages and estimated mean weights, and detail how these estimated mean weights were obtained. For greater explanation of these screens, see the guide under ‘More documentation’ below.

Click on the following links to view the data screens. You may need to expand the new window. Screen 2 is accessed from Screen 1 and all other screens, except Screen 8, are accessed via Screen 2:

     Screen 1: Estimated numbers of individuals in annual global capture tonnage (FAO) of fish species (1999-2007).

     Screen 8: Percentage of results obtained by different methods of estimating mean weights (EMWs) for fish species.

     Screen 9: Average annual fish capture for species mostly used for fishmeal (2005-2009).

     Screen 9: Previous version (1999-2007).

 
More documentation

These spreadsheets give the data shown on the ‘Data web pages’ above. For greater explanation of these, see the guide below:

     Spreadsheet1_emws (XLS, 1,922 KB).

     Spreadsheet2_refs (XLS, 1,390 KB).

     Spreadsheet3_LW_calcs (XLS, 1,040 KB).

     Guide to screens and spreadsheets (pdf 2,460 KB).