Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in Ireland
Ireland: Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture was 37,632 metric tons in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in Ireland, 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
Ireland recorded 37,632 metric tons for seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in 2024.
That represents a change of up 7.2% on the previous year and up 20.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in Ireland peaked at 62,568 metric tons in 2002 and was at its lowest, 500 metric tons, in 1962.
That places Ireland 50th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Ireland, year by year
| Year | metric tons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2,100 metric tons | — |
| 1961 | 900 metric tons | -57.1% |
| 1962 | 500 metric tons | -44.4% |
| 1963 | 1,100 metric tons | +120.0% |
| 1964 | 1,000 metric tons | -9.1% |
| 1965 | 1,100 metric tons | +10.0% |
| 1966 | 900 metric tons | -18.2% |
| 1967 | 1,300 metric tons | +44.4% |
| 1968 | 2,600 metric tons | +100.0% |
| 1969 | 3,000 metric tons | +15.4% |
| 1970 | 3,701 metric tons | +23.4% |
| 1971 | 4,906 metric tons | +32.6% |
| 1972 | 5,512 metric tons | +12.4% |
| 1973 | 3,423 metric tons | -37.9% |
| 1974 | 3,809 metric tons | +11.3% |
| 1975 | 4,258 metric tons | +11.8% |
| 1976 | 5,019 metric tons | +17.9% |
| 1977 | 4,654 metric tons | -7.3% |
| 1978 | 4,069 metric tons | -12.6% |
| 1979 | 3,692 metric tons | -9.3% |
| 1980 | 5,639 metric tons | +52.7% |
| 1981 | 5,811 metric tons | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 6,982 metric tons | +20.2% |
| 1983 | 7,078 metric tons | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 15,322 metric tons | +116.5% |
| 1985 | 11,964 metric tons | -21.9% |
| 1986 | 12,741 metric tons | +6.5% |
| 1987 | 18,693 metric tons | +46.7% |
| 1988 | 18,327 metric tons | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 20,790 metric tons | +13.4% |
| 1990 | 26,673 metric tons | +28.3% |
| 1991 | 27,749 metric tons | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 27,157 metric tons | -2.1% |
| 1993 | 30,158 metric tons | +11.1% |
| 1994 | 28,615 metric tons | -5.1% |
| 1995 | 27,366 metric tons | -4.4% |
| 1996 | 34,925 metric tons | +27.6% |
| 1997 | 36,854 metric tons | +5.5% |
| 1998 | 42,375 metric tons | +15.0% |
| 1999 | 43,856 metric tons | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 51,247 metric tons | +16.9% |
| 2001 | 60,940 metric tons | +18.9% |
| 2002 | 62,568 metric tons | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 62,516 metric tons | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 58,359 metric tons | -6.6% |
| 2005 | 60,050 metric tons | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 53,122 metric tons | -11.5% |
| 2007 | 57,104 metric tons | +7.5% |
| 2008 | 44,868 metric tons | -21.4% |
| 2009 | 47,512 metric tons | +5.9% |
| 2010 | 46,490 metric tons | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 44,266 metric tons | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 36,102 metric tons | -18.4% |
| 2013 | 34,198 metric tons | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 31,200 metric tons | -8.8% |
| 2015 | 39,650 metric tons | +27.1% |
| 2016 | 40,244 metric tons | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 45,433 metric tons | +12.9% |
| 2018 | 36,896 metric tons | -18.8% |
| 2019 | 37,914 metric tons | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 37,751 metric tons | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 42,099 metric tons | +11.5% |
| 2022 | 44,014 metric tons | +4.5% |
| 2023 | 35,118 metric tons | -20.2% |
| 2024 | 37,632 metric tons | +7.2% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 37,632 metric tons is above the median for high income countries, which is 2,445 metric tons, 15.4× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 37,632 metric tons is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 10,060 metric tons, 3.7× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in Ireland 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | +120.0% | 500 metric tons | 1,100 metric tons |
| 1984 | +116.5% | 7,078 metric tons | 15,322 metric tons |
| 1968 | +100.0% | 1,300 metric tons | 2,600 metric tons |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1,450 metric tons | 500 metric tons | 3,000 metric tons | 10 |
| 1970s | 4,304 metric tons | 3,423 metric tons | 5,512 metric tons | 10 |
| 1980s | 12,335 metric tons | 5,639 metric tons | 20,790 metric tons | 10 |
| 1990s | 32,573 metric tons | 26,673 metric tons | 43,856 metric tons | 10 |
| 2000s | 55,829 metric tons | 44,868 metric tons | 62,568 metric tons | 10 |
| 2010s | 39,239 metric tons | 31,200 metric tons | 46,490 metric tons | 10 |
| 2020s | 39,323 metric tons | 35,118 metric tons | 44,014 metric tons | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More reference data data for Ireland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0921 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.87 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 3.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.6 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 21.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.5015 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in Ireland?
- Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in Ireland was 37,632 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 62,568 metric tons in 2002.
- What is the lowest seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 500 metric tons in 1962.
- How does Ireland rank for seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture?
- Ireland ranks 50th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland 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.