Total fisheries production in South Africa
South Africa: Total fisheries production was 530,377 metric tons in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
530,377 metric tons
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
42nd
of 215 countries
All-time high
2.21 million metric tons
in 1968
All-time low
455,573 metric tons
in 1996
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Total fisheries production in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization., Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in metric tons.
Analysis
In 2024, total fisheries production in South Africa stood at 530,377 metric tons.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 28.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total fisheries production in South Africa peaked at 2.21 million metric tons in 1968 and was at its lowest, 455,573 metric tons, in 1996.
That places South Africa 42nd out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Total fisheries production in South Africa, year by year
| Year | metric tons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 882,523 metric tons | — |
| 1961 | 1.04 million metric tons | +17.8% |
| 1962 | 1.09 million metric tons | +5.0% |
| 1963 | 1.20 million metric tons | +9.8% |
| 1964 | 1.35 million metric tons | +12.9% |
| 1965 | 1.42 million metric tons | +4.9% |
| 1966 | 1.42 million metric tons | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 1.77 million metric tons | +24.5% |
| 1968 | 2.21 million metric tons | +24.7% |
| 1969 | 1.97 million metric tons | -10.9% |
| 1970 | 1.37 million metric tons | -30.6% |
| 1971 | 1.29 million metric tons | -5.5% |
| 1972 | 1.27 million metric tons | -1.7% |
| 1973 | 1.51 million metric tons | +18.8% |
| 1974 | 1.55 million metric tons | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 1.49 million metric tons | -3.6% |
| 1976 | 1.27 million metric tons | -14.6% |
| 1977 | 1.10 million metric tons | -13.7% |
| 1978 | 1.11 million metric tons | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 1.09 million metric tons | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 932,571 metric tons | -14.2% |
| 1981 | 948,011 metric tons | +1.7% |
| 1982 | 929,551 metric tons | -1.9% |
| 1983 | 995,571 metric tons | +7.1% |
| 1984 | 785,460 metric tons | -21.1% |
| 1985 | 849,726 metric tons | +8.2% |
| 1986 | 854,131 metric tons | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 1.47 million metric tons | +71.8% |
| 1988 | 1.34 million metric tons | -8.8% |
| 1989 | 907,705 metric tons | -32.1% |
| 1990 | 553,697 metric tons | -39.0% |
| 1991 | 516,997 metric tons | -6.6% |
| 1992 | 716,648 metric tons | +38.6% |
| 1993 | 592,934 metric tons | -17.3% |
| 1994 | 557,912 metric tons | -5.9% |
| 1995 | 600,879 metric tons | +7.7% |
| 1996 | 455,573 metric tons | -24.2% |
| 1997 | 543,733 metric tons | +19.4% |
| 1998 | 588,375 metric tons | +8.2% |
| 1999 | 637,296 metric tons | +8.3% |
| 2000 | 696,819 metric tons | +9.3% |
| 2001 | 818,758 metric tons | +17.5% |
| 2002 | 843,634 metric tons | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 878,617 metric tons | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 953,523 metric tons | +8.5% |
| 2005 | 856,607 metric tons | -10.2% |
| 2006 | 659,160 metric tons | -23.0% |
| 2007 | 731,363 metric tons | +11.0% |
| 2008 | 701,533 metric tons | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 553,322 metric tons | -21.1% |
| 2010 | 693,071 metric tons | +25.3% |
| 2011 | 581,002 metric tons | -16.2% |
| 2012 | 796,152 metric tons | +37.0% |
| 2013 | 511,860 metric tons | -35.7% |
| 2014 | 736,274 metric tons | +43.8% |
| 2015 | 638,552 metric tons | -13.3% |
| 2016 | 667,844 metric tons | +4.6% |
| 2017 | 596,899 metric tons | -10.6% |
| 2018 | 632,878 metric tons | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 529,100 metric tons | -16.4% |
| 2020 | 663,839 metric tons | +25.5% |
| 2021 | 626,731 metric tons | -5.6% |
| 2022 | 596,148 metric tons | -4.9% |
| 2023 | 532,180 metric tons | -10.7% |
| 2024 | 530,377 metric tons | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.44 million metric tons | 882,523 metric tons | 2.21 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.30 million metric tons | 1.09 million metric tons | 1.55 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.00 million metric tons | 785,460 metric tons | 1.47 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1990s | 576,404 metric tons | 455,573 metric tons | 716,648 metric tons | 10 |
| 2000s | 769,334 metric tons | 553,322 metric tons | 953,523 metric tons | 10 |
| 2010s | 638,363 metric tons | 511,860 metric tons | 796,152 metric tons | 10 |
| 2020s | 589,855 metric tons | 530,377 metric tons | 663,839 metric tons | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More environment data for South Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 8.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.275 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.05 °C (2025)
- Graphic papers — Import quantity, annual growth rate 42.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import quantity, per capita 0.0047 t per person (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import value, annual growth rate 21.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total fisheries production in South Africa?
- Total fisheries production in South Africa was 530,377 metric tons in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization., Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest total fisheries production recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.21 million metric tons in 1968.
- What is the lowest total fisheries production recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 455,573 metric tons in 1996.
- How does South Africa rank for total fisheries production?
- South Africa ranks 42nd out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is total fisheries production rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization., Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Total fisheries production (metric tons). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total fisheries production measures the volume of aquatic species caught by a country for all commercial, industrial, recreational and subsistence purposes. The harvest from mariculture, aquaculture and other kinds of fish farming is also included.