Database Specific
Database Specific Abstract AbstractThis dataset presents statistics on world annual international trade of fishery and aquaculture products. It includes all aquatic animals (fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and other aquatic animals), algae (macroalgae, microalgae, and Cyanobacteria) and other aquatic products (e.g. corals and sponges) with the exception of data on aquatic mammals, reptiles, amphibians, turtles, and miscellaneous aquatic products.
Source Source Contact person/organisation Contact person/organisationFor any further questions please contact: tad.contact@oecd.org
Direct source Direct sourceData are sourced from: FAO. 2023. Fishery and Aquaculture Statistics. Global Aquatic Trade Statistics 1976-2021 (FishstatJ). In: FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division [online]. Rome. Updated 2023.
Final data have been provided to FAO by many national offices; others submitted provisional figures only. Whenever national offices failed to report their annual statistics in time for publication, FAO, in the absence of other information, has generally used as trade estimates the returns of trading partners.
The World Sturgeon Conservation Society (WSCS) provided support on caviar data.
The Marine Ingredients Organization (IFFO) provided support on fishmeal and fish oil data.
Data Characteristics Data Characteristics Date last updated Date last updated2023, October
Other data characteristics Other data characteristicsData are expressed in US dollars, at current prices.
The annual period used is the calendar year (1 January - 31 December) except for the following countries which report data on a split-year basis as indicated:
AUSTRALIA - Year ending 30 June (up to 2002; from 1998 only imports)
NEW ZEALAND - Year ending 30 June (only 2002)
Where data for split-years are tabulated together with data on a calendar year basis, those for split-years are shown under the calendar years in which the split-years end.
Unit of measure used Unit of measure used Population & Scope Population & Scope Statistical population Statistical populationThe statistical population is the set of countries participating in the work of the OECD Committee for Fisheries (COFI), i.e. the OECD members plus some partners economies.
In order to facilitate analysis and comparisons over time, historical data for OECD members have been provided over as long a period as possible, often even before a country became a member of the Organisation.
Information on the membership dates of all OECD countries can be found at OECD Ratification Dates.
Concepts & Classifications Concepts & Classifications Classification(s) used Classification(s) usedFAO's International Standard Statistical Classification of Fishery Commodities (ISSCFC), has been used for collation of detailed information on countries or zones. ISSCFC is an expansion of the United Nations Standard International Trade Classification, Revision 4 (SITC Rev.4) and is linked with the Harmonized System of the World Customs Organization.
Key statistical concept Key statistical conceptFollowing the UN recommendations, the international merchandise trade statistics record all goods which add to or subtract from the stock of material resources of a country by entering (imports) or leaving (exports) its economic territory.
Two systems of recording trade are in common use, differing mainly in the way warehoused and re-exported goods are recorded: special trade and general trade.
a) Special trade is a system of recording imports for domestic consumption on the one hand and exports of domestic goods on the other. Special imports include goods for domestic consumption and withdrawals from bonded warehouses or free zones for purposes of domestic consumption. Special exports comprise exports of goods wholly or partially produced or manufactured in the country, together with exports of «nationalized goods», but not of goods held in bonded warehouses or free zones.
b) General trade is a system which records total imports and total exports including re-exports. General imports consist of all imports into a country, including goods for domestic consumption and imports into bonded warehouses or free zones. General exports consist of the combined total of national exports and re-exports. Re-exports, in the general trade system, consist of the outward movement of nationalized goods plus goods which, after importation, move outward from bonded warehouses or free zones without having been transformed.
Customs records should be the main source of the data; and the additional sources could be used where customs sources are not available. Goods should be included in statistics at the time when they enter or leave the economic territory of a country. In the case of customs-based data collection systems, the time of recording should be the date of lodgement of the customs declaration.
Export and import data in this dataset relate to general trade for all countries except those named below, which report/have reported on the basis of special trade:
ARGENTINA
AUSTRIA
BELGIUM
BRAZIL
COLOMBIA
COSTA RICA (2017, 2019-2021)
CZECK REPUBLIC
ESTONIA
FINLAND
FRANCE
GERMANY
GREECE
HUNGARY
ICELAND
ISRAEL
ITALY
LATVIA
LITHUANIA
NETHERLANDS
PERU
POLAND
PORTUGAL
SLOVAK REPUBLIC
SLOVENIA
SPAIN
SWEDEN
SWITZERLAND
THAILAND
TÜRKIYE (2017-2019)
Differences between figures given for total exports and total imports of any one commodity may be due to several factors, e.g. the time lapse between the dispatch of goods from the exporting country and their arrival in the importing country; the use of a different classification of the same product by different countries; or the fact that some countries supply trade data on general trade, while others give data on special trade.
In general export values are f.o.b. (free on board) and import values are c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight), but there are few exceptions:
AUSTRALIA -- import and export values are both f.o.b. up to 2018 and in 2020-21
BRAZIL -- up to 2018 both imports and exports were valued in f.o.b., but since 2021 the imports can be valued in either c.i.f. or f.o.b., while exports are valued in f.o.b.
CANADA -- import and export values are both f.o.b.
MEXICO
NEW ZEALAND -- from 2020 the valuation for imports was both either c.i.f. or f.o.b.
USA – export values were in f.a.s. (free along side) in 2017
In accordance with the internationally recommended practice, import statistics include aquatic species caught by foreign fishing craft, whether or not processed on board, landed in domestic ports; export statistics include aquatic species caught by domestic fishing craft, whether or not processed on board, landed in foreign ports.
The methological manual of reference on international trade statistics is:
Other Aspects Other Aspects Other comments Other commentsThe word "countries" appearing in the text refers to countries, territories and areas without distinction.
The term country or area used covers territories, cities, land areas, as well as provinces, districts, enclaves, exclaves and other parts of territories or combinations of countries or areas such as economic or customs unions.
Country or area names and designations are subject to nationally announced changes. Name changes announced after 31 December 2022 have not necessarily been incorporated in this dataset but will be reflected in future releases.
Recommended uses and limitations Recommended uses and limitationsWhere necessary, any data published in previous releases of this dataset have been revised.
Where the figures in the current release differ from those previously published, the amended data represent the most recent version.
Some statistics provided to FAO by national offices, in particular those for the last year, are provisional and may be amended in future editions.
This dataset presents statistics on world annual international trade of fishery and aquaculture products. It includes all aquatic animals (fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and other aquatic animals), algae (macroalgae, microalgae, and Cyanobacteria) and other aquatic products (e.g. corals and sponges) with the exception of data on aquatic mammals, reptiles, amphibians, turtles, and miscellaneous aquatic products.
For any further questions please contact: tad.contact@oecd.org
Data are sourced from: FAO. 2023. Fishery and Aquaculture Statistics. Global Aquatic Trade Statistics 1976-2021 (FishstatJ). In: FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division [online]. Rome. Updated 2023.
Final data have been provided to FAO by many national offices; others submitted provisional figures only. Whenever national offices failed to report their annual statistics in time for publication, FAO, in the absence of other information, has generally used as trade estimates the returns of trading partners.
The World Sturgeon Conservation Society (WSCS) provided support on caviar data.
The Marine Ingredients Organization (IFFO) provided support on fishmeal and fish oil data.
2023, October
Data are expressed in US dollars, at current prices.
The annual period used is the calendar year (1 January - 31 December) except for the following countries which report data on a split-year basis as indicated:
AUSTRALIA - Year ending 30 June (up to 2002; from 1998 only imports)
NEW ZEALAND - Year ending 30 June (only 2002)
Where data for split-years are tabulated together with data on a calendar year basis, those for split-years are shown under the calendar years in which the split-years end.
The statistical population is the set of countries participating in the work of the OECD Committee for Fisheries (COFI), i.e. the OECD members plus some partners economies.
In order to facilitate analysis and comparisons over time, historical data for OECD members have been provided over as long a period as possible, often even before a country became a member of the Organisation.
Information on the membership dates of all OECD countries can be found at OECD Ratification Dates.
Following the UN recommendations, the international merchandise trade statistics record all goods which add to or subtract from the stock of material resources of a country by entering (imports) or leaving (exports) its economic territory.
Two systems of recording trade are in common use, differing mainly in the way warehoused and re-exported goods are recorded: special trade and general trade.
a) Special trade is a system of recording imports for domestic consumption on the one hand and exports of domestic goods on the other. Special imports include goods for domestic consumption and withdrawals from bonded warehouses or free zones for purposes of domestic consumption. Special exports comprise exports of goods wholly or partially produced or manufactured in the country, together with exports of «nationalized goods», but not of goods held in bonded warehouses or free zones.
b) General trade is a system which records total imports and total exports including re-exports. General imports consist of all imports into a country, including goods for domestic consumption and imports into bonded warehouses or free zones. General exports consist of the combined total of national exports and re-exports. Re-exports, in the general trade system, consist of the outward movement of nationalized goods plus goods which, after importation, move outward from bonded warehouses or free zones without having been transformed.
Customs records should be the main source of the data; and the additional sources could be used where customs sources are not available. Goods should be included in statistics at the time when they enter or leave the economic territory of a country. In the case of customs-based data collection systems, the time of recording should be the date of lodgement of the customs declaration.
Export and import data in this dataset relate to general trade for all countries except those named below, which report/have reported on the basis of special trade:
ARGENTINA
AUSTRIA
BELGIUM
BRAZIL
COLOMBIA
COSTA RICA (2017, 2019-2021)
CZECK REPUBLIC
ESTONIA
FINLAND
FRANCE
GERMANY
GREECE
HUNGARY
ICELAND
ISRAEL
ITALY
LATVIA
LITHUANIA
NETHERLANDS
PERU
POLAND
PORTUGAL
SLOVAK REPUBLIC
SLOVENIA
SPAIN
SWEDEN
SWITZERLAND
THAILAND
TÜRKIYE (2017-2019)
Differences between figures given for total exports and total imports of any one commodity may be due to several factors, e.g. the time lapse between the dispatch of goods from the exporting country and their arrival in the importing country; the use of a different classification of the same product by different countries; or the fact that some countries supply trade data on general trade, while others give data on special trade.
In general export values are f.o.b. (free on board) and import values are c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight), but there are few exceptions:
AUSTRALIA -- import and export values are both f.o.b. up to 2018 and in 2020-21
BRAZIL -- up to 2018 both imports and exports were valued in f.o.b., but since 2021 the imports can be valued in either c.i.f. or f.o.b., while exports are valued in f.o.b.
CANADA -- import and export values are both f.o.b.
MEXICO
NEW ZEALAND -- from 2020 the valuation for imports was both either c.i.f. or f.o.b.
USA – export values were in f.a.s. (free along side) in 2017
In accordance with the internationally recommended practice, import statistics include aquatic species caught by foreign fishing craft, whether or not processed on board, landed in domestic ports; export statistics include aquatic species caught by domestic fishing craft, whether or not processed on board, landed in foreign ports.
The methological manual of reference on international trade statistics is:
FAO's International Standard Statistical Classification of Fishery Commodities (ISSCFC), has been used for collation of detailed information on countries or zones. ISSCFC is an expansion of the United Nations Standard International Trade Classification, Revision 4 (SITC Rev.4) and is linked with the Harmonized System of the World Customs Organization.
Where necessary, any data published in previous releases of this dataset have been revised.
Where the figures in the current release differ from those previously published, the amended data represent the most recent version.
Some statistics provided to FAO by national offices, in particular those for the last year, are provisional and may be amended in future editions.
The word "countries" appearing in the text refers to countries, territories and areas without distinction.
The term country or area used covers territories, cities, land areas, as well as provinces, districts, enclaves, exclaves and other parts of territories or combinations of countries or areas such as economic or customs unions.
Country or area names and designations are subject to nationally announced changes. Name changes announced after 31 December 2022 have not necessarily been incorporated in this dataset but will be reflected in future releases.