Papua New Guinea: Capture fisheries production (metric tons)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Papua New Guinea's capture fisheries production (metric tons) rose 36.9% on 2023 (from 250,388 to 342,808).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +6.9% and a typical year strayed about 20% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 297.8% in 1973 and the biggest yearly fall was 50.6% in 1975. 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 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 14% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

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

How it compares

In 2024, Papua New Guinea had the 48th 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 Papua New Guinea in the 2024 ranking

• Namibia — 45th of 215: 381,230
• Türkiye — 46th of 215: 355,994
• Sri Lanka — 47th of 215: 355,902
• Greenland — 49th of 215: 331,285
• New Zealand — 50th of 215: 324,447
• Netherlands — 51st of 215: 296,838

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 Papua New Guinea

• Population in largest city — 431,903 (2025)
• Population in the largest city (% of urban population) — 25.43% (2025)
• Rural population — 9.06 million (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 84.22% (2025)
• Urban population — 1.7 million (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 15.78% (2025)
• Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 2,552 (2024)
• Total fisheries production (metric tons) — 345,360 (2024)
• Rural population growth (annual %) — 1.3% (2025)
• Urban population growth (annual %)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

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

342,808 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 2,710% from 12,200 in 1960 (5.35% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 352,845 in 2018 and the lowest 12,200 in 1960.

How does Papua New Guinea rank?

48th highest of 215 economies with data for 2024.

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

In 2024, Papua New Guinea's capture fisheries production (metric tons) rose 36.9% on 2023 (from 250,388 to 342,808). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +6.9% and a typical year strayed about 20% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

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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