Wild fish catch from bottom trawling in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Wild fish catch from bottom trawling was 129,985 tonnes in 2018. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2018)
129,985 tonnes
Change on year
down 4.5%
World rank
29th
of 111 countries
All-time high
780,086 tonnes
in 1952
All-time low
116,789 tonnes
in 2011
Years of data
69
1950–2018

Wild fish catch from bottom trawling in United Kingdom, 1950–2018

200.0k400.0k600.0k800.0k195019842018

Source: Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.

Analysis

The most recent figure for wild fish catch from bottom trawling in United Kingdom is 129,985 tonnes, measured in 2018.

The figure is down 4.5% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, wild fish catch from bottom trawling in United Kingdom peaked at 780,086 tonnes in 1952 and was at its lowest, 116,789 tonnes, in 2011.

United Kingdom ranks 29th 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 from bottom trawling in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Wild fish catch from bottom trawling in United Kingdom, 1950 to 2018.
Year tonnes Change
1950 438,734 tonnes
1951 531,382 tonnes +21.1%
1952 780,086 tonnes +46.8%
1953 686,271 tonnes -12.0%
1954 737,468 tonnes +7.5%
1955 483,207 tonnes -34.5%
1956 505,017 tonnes +4.5%
1957 510,288 tonnes +1.0%
1958 464,761 tonnes -8.9%
1959 457,685 tonnes -1.5%
1960 462,390 tonnes +1.0%
1961 417,318 tonnes -9.7%
1962 474,659 tonnes +13.7%
1963 525,484 tonnes +10.7%
1964 546,034 tonnes +3.9%
1965 579,498 tonnes +6.1%
1966 577,693 tonnes -0.3%
1967 633,834 tonnes +9.7%
1968 540,222 tonnes -14.8%
1969 436,591 tonnes -19.2%
1970 491,371 tonnes +12.5%
1971 459,540 tonnes -6.5%
1972 569,332 tonnes +23.9%
1973 362,535 tonnes -36.3%
1974 472,691 tonnes +30.4%
1975 392,171 tonnes -17.0%
1976 341,992 tonnes -12.8%
1977 300,037 tonnes -12.3%
1978 265,310 tonnes -11.6%
1979 144,127 tonnes -45.7%
1980 220,120 tonnes +52.7%
1981 190,981 tonnes -13.2%
1982 431,445 tonnes +125.9%
1983 322,754 tonnes -25.2%
1984 311,822 tonnes -3.4%
1985 342,983 tonnes +10.0%
1986 285,852 tonnes -16.7%
1987 332,464 tonnes +16.3%
1988 336,834 tonnes +1.3%
1989 302,149 tonnes -10.3%
1990 245,994 tonnes -18.6%
1991 241,511 tonnes -1.8%
1992 251,675 tonnes +4.2%
1993 283,161 tonnes +12.5%
1994 300,333 tonnes +6.1%
1995 311,198 tonnes +3.6%
1996 325,979 tonnes +4.7%
1997 330,769 tonnes +1.5%
1998 313,457 tonnes -5.2%
1999 258,093 tonnes -17.7%
2000 242,475 tonnes -6.1%
2001 195,173 tonnes -19.5%
2002 192,612 tonnes -1.3%
2003 159,808 tonnes -17.0%
2004 155,276 tonnes -2.8%
2005 119,805 tonnes -22.8%
2006 135,556 tonnes +13.1%
2007 124,372 tonnes -8.3%
2008 123,233 tonnes -0.9%
2009 129,509 tonnes +5.1%
2010 130,509 tonnes +0.8%
2011 116,789 tonnes -10.5%
2012 123,262 tonnes +5.5%
2013 132,132 tonnes +7.2%
2014 126,716 tonnes -4.1%
2015 122,535 tonnes -3.3%
2016 129,800 tonnes +5.9%
2017 136,060 tonnes +4.8%
2018 129,985 tonnes -4.5%

United Kingdom compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom's 129,985 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 47,385 tonnes, 2.7× the median. (45 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom's 129,985 tonnes is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 54,562 tonnes, 2.4× the median. (30 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Wild fish catch from bottom trawling in United Kingdom 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.

YearChange FromTo
1982 +125.9% 190,981 tonnes 431,445 tonnes

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 559,490 tonnes 438,734 tonnes 780,086 tonnes 10
1960s 519,372 tonnes 417,318 tonnes 633,834 tonnes 10
1970s 379,911 tonnes 144,127 tonnes 569,332 tonnes 10
1980s 307,740 tonnes 190,981 tonnes 431,445 tonnes 10
1990s 286,217 tonnes 241,511 tonnes 330,769 tonnes 10
2000s 157,782 tonnes 119,805 tonnes 242,475 tonnes 10
2010s 127,532 tonnes 116,789 tonnes 136,060 tonnes 9

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 26 Canada 151,079 tonnes compare
  2. 27 Italy 150,061 tonnes compare
  3. 28 South Africa 140,611 tonnes compare
  4. 30 Brazil 128,156 tonnes compare
  5. 31 Turkey 119,049 tonnes compare
  6. 32 Netherlands 118,096 tonnes compare

See the full ranking of 111 places →

More reference data data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is wild fish catch from bottom trawling in United Kingdom?
Wild fish catch from bottom trawling in United Kingdom was 129,985 tonnes in 2018, according to Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest wild fish catch from bottom trawling recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 780,086 tonnes in 1952.
What is the lowest wild fish catch from bottom trawling recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 116,789 tonnes in 2011.
How does United Kingdom rank for wild fish catch from bottom trawling?
United Kingdom ranks 29th out of 111 countries with data for 2018.
Is wild fish catch from bottom trawling rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Wild fish catch from bottom trawling. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Wild fish catch from bottom trawling in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/bottom-trawling/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Wild fish catch from bottom trawling
Unit
tonnes
Source
Sea Around Us (2020) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
111 places, 6,156 data points, 1950–2018
Last refreshed

Bottom trawling is a fishing method in which a large, heavy net is dragged along the seafloor to catch fish and other marine life.