### GLOBAL CAPTURE PRODUCTION

This dataset covers annual series of capture production from 1950. Data relate to nominal catches of fish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic mammals, other aquatic animals, residues and plants taken for commercial, industrial, recreational and subsistence purposes from inland, brackish and marine waters. Data include all quantities caught and landed for both food and feed purposes but exclude discards. Catches of fish, crustaceans and molluscs are expressed in live weight, that is the nominal weight of the aquatic organisms at the time of capture. The harvest of aquatic plants is given in wet weight. Data are given in tonnes (=1000 kg), except those for whales, seals and crocodiles, which are given in numbers.

To assign nationality to catches, the flag of the fishing vessel is used, unless the wording of chartering and joint operation contracts indicates otherwise.

Fish, crustaceans, molluscs and all other aquatic organisms included in the dataset have been classified according to approximately 3400 commercial species items, further arranged within the 50 groups of species constituting the nine divisions of the FAO International Standard Statistical Classification of Aquatic Animals and Plants (ISSCAAP). The taxonomic code descriptors are taken from the "ASFIS list of species for fishery statistics purposes" (version 2023). Please note that the list of species disseminated in these datasets might not adhere entirely to ASFIS(version 2023) due to differing publication schedules.

Capture production is also classified according to the inland or marine area where catches took place. These are divided into eight major inland fishing areas and 19 major marine fishing areas, internationally established for fishery statistical purposes (https://www.fao.org/cwp-on-fishery-statistics/handbook/general-concepts/main-water-areas/en/).

The list of countries and the geographical classification are primarily based on the UN "STANDARD COUNTRY OR AREA CODES FOR STATISTICAL USE" (https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/).

Additional country classifications available in this Workspace are based on a variety of sources. Here below the main ones:

- Least Developed Countries (LDC) (version 2023) (https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/publication/ldc_list.pdf)
- Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries (LIFDCs) (2023 revision)(https://www.fao.org/countryprofiles/lifdc/en/)
- Land-Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs) (https://unctad.org/topic/landlocked-developing-countries/list-of-LLDCs)
- Small Island Developing States (SIDS) (https://www.un.org/ohrlls/content/list-sids)
- Net Food-Importing Developing Countries(NFIDC) (2023 revision) (https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/G/AG/5R12.pdf&Open=True)
- The classification of the World Bank by income (2024 revision) (https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519-world-bank-country-and-lending-groups)

Several countries still report their catches by large groups of species. In these circumstances the catch data presented by individual species items are likely to be underestimated. Therefore, when examining the statistics for a particular species, it should be noted that an unknown proportion of the catches for that species might have been reported by the national office under the generic, family or order name of the species, or even more roughly as "fishes not identified". Consequently, species item totals frequently underestimate the real catch of the individual species.

Starting with the release of March 2003, capture production statistics have been extended back to 1950. Data before 1970 in respect to certain species may be subject to further improvements.

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.

Prepared by the Statistics Team, Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, FAO, on the basis of information available as of 31 December 2023.

NB: When viewing time-series data in FishStatJ, in order to obtain the same aggregates presented in the Summary Tables of the "FAO Yearbook of Fishery and Aquaculture Statistics" which exclude production figures for marine mammals, crocodiles, corals, pearls, mother-of-pearl, sponges and aquatic plants, you must first filter the dataset using a Custom Group:

1. Open the Filter Dialog Box (Data/Filter or F4).
2. Click the [Species] tab.
3. Click the Groups combo box and select [Yearbook/SOFIA]
4. Click [Fish, crustaceans, molluscs, etc].
5. Click the single left arrow in order to move under the "Include" left panel all selected species belonging to [Fish, crustaceans, molluscs, etc]
6. Click [OK]. The program will return you to the Main Window.

#### SYMBOLS USED

Please note that, starting with the release 2024, the symbols used are aligned with SDMX standard.

" A "= Official value (previously displayed without any symbol associated);
" B " = Time series break;
" E " = Estimated value;
" F " = Forecast value;
" G " = Experimental value;
" I " = Value imputed by a receiving agency (FAO) (previously displayed as " E ");
" P " = Provisional value;
" S " = Strike and other special events;
" U " = Low reliability;
" V " = Unvalidated value;
" X " = Value from international/mandated organization;
" NEI " = Not Elsewhere Included.
Symbols associated to value " 0 ":
" L " = Missing value; data exist but were not collected;
" M " = Missing value; data cannot exist;
" N " = Not significant (more than zero but less than half the unit used );
" O " = Missing value;
" Q " = Missing value; suppressed.

You can customize the display of the symbols by accessing to Format/Symbols and Colors.

You can customize the export of the data in order to remove the symbols by accessing to Edit/Preferences/Data export.

#### TIME REFERENCE

The annual period used is the calendar year (1 January-31 December), with the exceptions of capture data in the Antarctic fishing areas (up to 2011) and for some countries for which a split-year is used. Starting with the March 2004 release, the new fishing season (1 December-30 November) of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has been adopted. Split-year data are shown under the calendar year in which the split-year ends.

#### CITATION

When quoting FishStatJ data, please use the following reference:

FAO. 2024. FishStat: Global capture production 1950-2022. [Accessed on 29 March 2024]. In: FishStatJ. Available at www.fao.org/fishery/en/statistics/software/fishstatj. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.

For a correct citation, please revise the date you accessed the data.

#### DISCLAIMER CLAUSES

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.

FAO declines all responsibility for errors or deficiencies in the database or software or in the documentation accompanying it, for program maintenance and upgrading as well as for any damage that may arise from them. FAO also declines any responsibility for updating the data and assumes no responsibility for errors and omissions in the data provided. Users are, however, kindly asked to report any errors or deficiencies in this product to FAO.

The word "countries" appearing in the text refers to countries, territories and areas without distinction.

The designations employed and the presentation of material in the map(s) do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal or constitutional status of any country, territory or sea area, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers.

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