Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in South Africa
South Africa: Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture was 8,439 metric tons in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in South Africa, 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
South Africa recorded 8,439 metric tons for seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in 2024.
That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and up 16.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in South Africa peaked at 11,355 metric tons in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0 metric tons, in 1960.
South Africa ranks 90th of 215 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 metric tons | 0 metric tons | 0 metric tons | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.7 metric tons | 0 metric tons | 14 metric tons | 10 |
| 1980s | 631.9 metric tons | 6 metric tons | 2,037 metric tons | 10 |
| 1990s | 4,121 metric tons | 3,013 metric tons | 5,088 metric tons | 10 |
| 2000s | 5,031 metric tons | 2,819 metric tons | 6,602 metric tons | 10 |
| 2010s | 6,863 metric tons | 5,148 metric tons | 9,224 metric tons | 10 |
| 2020s | 9,711 metric tons | 8,439 metric tons | 11,355 metric tons | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in South Africa?
- Seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture in South Africa was 8,439 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11,355 metric tons in 2022.
- What is the lowest seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 metric tons in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture?
- South Africa ranks 90th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is seafood production: wild fish catch vs. aquaculture rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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.