New Zealand: Capture fisheries production (metric tons)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, New Zealand's capture fisheries production (metric tons) fell 0.8% on 2023 (from 327,210 to 324,447).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.3% and a typical year strayed about 12.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 52.5% in 1997 and the biggest yearly fall was 23.6% in 1996. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is downward, about 14,171 a year. A straight line explains 92% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, New Zealand had the 51st highest value of the 215 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to New Zealand in the 2024 ranking

• Sri Lanka — 47th of 215: 355,902
• Papua New Guinea — 48th of 215: 342,808
• Greenland — 49th of 215: 331,285
• Netherlands — 51st of 215: 296,838
• Kiribati — 52nd of 215: 278,509
• Panama — 53rd of 215: 276,799

What this measures

Capture fisheries production measures the volume of fish catches landed by a country for all commercial, industrial, recreational and subsistence purposes.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 65 values

Capture fisheries production (metric tons) in nearby economies

• American Samoa — 1,512 (2024)
• Australia — 227,277 (2024)
• Brunei Darussalam — 16,387 (2024)
• Cambodia — 606,654 (2024)
• China — 13.26 million (2024)
• Fiji — 34,963 (2024)
• French Polynesia — 13,468 (2024)
• Guam — 45.64 (2024)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 92,253 (2024)
• Indonesia — 7.82 million (2024)

More environment data for New Zealand

• Population in largest city — 1.71 million (2025)
• Population in the largest city (% of urban population) — 38.26% (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million — 1.71 million (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population) — 32.14% (2025)
• Rural population — 852,066 (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 16% (2025)
• Urban population — 4.47 million (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 84% (2025)
• Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 98,878 (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is New Zealand's capture fisheries production (metric tons)?

324,447 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 550.85% from 49,850 in 1960 (2.97% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 648,926 in 1997 and the lowest 42,796 in 1964.

How does New Zealand rank?

51st highest of 215 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in capture fisheries production (metric tons) unusual for New Zealand?

In 2024, New Zealand's capture fisheries production (metric tons) fell 0.8% on 2023 (from 327,210 to 324,447). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −0.3% and a typical year strayed about 12.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator ER.FSH.CAPT.MT, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Food and Agriculture Organization., Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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