Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in Australia
Australia: Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture was 117,540 metric tons in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
117,540 metric tons
Change on year
down 7.8%
World rank
38th
of 215 countries
All-time high
139,523 metric tons
in 2021
All-time low
5,700 metric tons
in 1960
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in Australia, 1960–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in metric tons.
Analysis
The most recent figure for seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in Australia is 117,540 metric tons, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 7.8% on the previous year and up 60.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in Australia peaked at 139,523 metric tons in 2021 and was at its lowest, 5,700 metric tons, in 1960.
Australia ranks 38th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in Australia, year by year
| Year | metric tons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5,700 metric tons | — |
| 1961 | 6,500 metric tons | +14.0% |
| 1962 | 5,800 metric tons | -10.8% |
| 1963 | 5,900 metric tons | +1.7% |
| 1964 | 5,800 metric tons | -1.7% |
| 1965 | 6,600 metric tons | +13.8% |
| 1966 | 6,800 metric tons | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 7,300 metric tons | +7.4% |
| 1968 | 7,500 metric tons | +2.7% |
| 1969 | 7,500 metric tons | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 7,021 metric tons | -6.4% |
| 1971 | 9,800 metric tons | +39.6% |
| 1972 | 10,400 metric tons | +6.1% |
| 1973 | 9,200 metric tons | -11.5% |
| 1974 | 10,484 metric tons | +14.0% |
| 1975 | 9,204 metric tons | -12.2% |
| 1976 | 10,439 metric tons | +13.4% |
| 1977 | 11,126 metric tons | +6.6% |
| 1978 | 10,236 metric tons | -8.0% |
| 1979 | 8,702 metric tons | -15.0% |
| 1980 | 8,994 metric tons | +3.4% |
| 1981 | 9,185 metric tons | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 8,841 metric tons | -3.7% |
| 1983 | 9,056 metric tons | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 8,785 metric tons | -3.0% |
| 1985 | 9,534 metric tons | +8.5% |
| 1986 | 9,083 metric tons | -4.7% |
| 1987 | 9,660 metric tons | +6.4% |
| 1988 | 13,080 metric tons | +35.4% |
| 1989 | 13,685 metric tons | +4.6% |
| 1990 | 12,401 metric tons | -9.4% |
| 1991 | 14,327 metric tons | +15.5% |
| 1992 | 16,422 metric tons | +14.6% |
| 1993 | 18,359 metric tons | +11.8% |
| 1994 | 19,129 metric tons | +4.2% |
| 1995 | 22,395 metric tons | +17.1% |
| 1996 | 25,323 metric tons | +13.1% |
| 1997 | 26,543 metric tons | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 24,570 metric tons | -7.4% |
| 1999 | 29,601 metric tons | +20.5% |
| 2000 | 32,083 metric tons | +8.4% |
| 2001 | 35,883 metric tons | +11.8% |
| 2002 | 38,908 metric tons | +8.4% |
| 2003 | 39,927 metric tons | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 45,083 metric tons | +12.9% |
| 2005 | 44,852 metric tons | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 51,650 metric tons | +15.2% |
| 2007 | 57,936 metric tons | +12.2% |
| 2008 | 60,804 metric tons | +5.0% |
| 2009 | 71,672 metric tons | +17.9% |
| 2010 | 75,679 metric tons | +5.6% |
| 2011 | 76,662 metric tons | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 81,833 metric tons | +6.7% |
| 2013 | 80,062 metric tons | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 73,238 metric tons | -8.5% |
| 2015 | 83,135 metric tons | +13.5% |
| 2016 | 91,652 metric tons | +10.2% |
| 2017 | 93,818 metric tons | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 97,672 metric tons | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 92,092 metric tons | -5.7% |
| 2020 | 106,346 metric tons | +15.5% |
| 2021 | 139,523 metric tons | +31.2% |
| 2022 | 138,918 metric tons | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 127,553 metric tons | -8.2% |
| 2024 | 117,540 metric tons | -7.9% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 117,540 metric tons is above the median for high income countries, which is 2,445 metric tons, 48.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Australia's 117,540 metric tons is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,310 metric tons, 89.7× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6,540 metric tons | 5,700 metric tons | 7,500 metric tons | 10 |
| 1970s | 9,661 metric tons | 7,021 metric tons | 11,126 metric tons | 10 |
| 1980s | 9,990 metric tons | 8,785 metric tons | 13,685 metric tons | 10 |
| 1990s | 20,907 metric tons | 12,401 metric tons | 29,601 metric tons | 10 |
| 2000s | 47,880 metric tons | 32,083 metric tons | 71,672 metric tons | 10 |
| 2010s | 84,584 metric tons | 73,238 metric tons | 97,672 metric tons | 10 |
| 2020s | 125,976 metric tons | 106,346 metric tons | 139,523 metric tons | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More reference data data for Australia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 28.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 118.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 170.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.9 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in Australia?
- Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in Australia was 117,540 metric tons in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 139,523 metric tons in 2021.
- What is the lowest seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5,700 metric tons in 1960.
- How does Australia rank for seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture?
- Australia ranks 38th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants. Capture fishery production is the volume of wild fish catches landed for all commercial, industrial, recreational and subsistence purposes.