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Canada’s Fisheries Fast Facts 2024

Canada's Fisheries Fast Facts 2024

Canada’s Fisheries Fast Facts 2024 (PDF, 732 KB)

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National overview

Principal statistics, 2023

Principal statistics, 2023
Details Amount
Gross Value of Outputs (CAD $’000)
Commercial sea and freshwater fisheries landings 3,697,216
Aquaculture production 1 1,259,693
Seafood product preparation & packaging revenues 2 7,032,160
Employment (number of persons)
Commercial fish harvesters and crew 3 42,902
Aquaculture 3,675
Seafood product preparation & packaging 18,334
Commercial seafisheries
Total weight of landings (metric tonnes) 654,595
Total value of landings (CAD $’000) 3,607,641
Commercial freshwater fisheries
Total weight of landings (metric tonnes) 24,467
Total value of landings (CAD $’000) 89,575
International trade statistics (CAD $’000) 4
Total value of fish and seafood exports 7,625,753
Total value of fish and seafood imports 4,560,052
Trade balance 3,065,701
  1. Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0107-01 Aquaculture, production, and value
  2. Statistics Canada. Table 16-10-0117-01 Principal statistics for manufacturing industries, by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) (x 1,000)
  3. Employment is estimated based on the number of registered fishers and the number of personal commercial licenses granted
  4. Department of Fisheries and Oceans (2024), EXIM [database], Ottawa.

Regional overview 1

Landings and production statistics, 2023

Landings and production statistics, 2023
Commercial sea and freshwater fisheries Pacific Inland Atlantic Canada
Number of registered fishing vessels 2 2,150 150 14,176 16,476
Total weight of landings (metric tonnes) 100,387 23,690 554,986 679,063
Total value of landings ($’000) 452,504 87,389 3,157,323 3,697,216
Aquaculture
Number of aquaculture establishments 3 160 76 361 597
Total weight of production (metric tonnes) 4 60,962 5,518 79,505 145,985
Total value of production ($’000) 4 557,893 48,343 653,458 1,259,693
Totals may not add up due to rounding
  1. Atlantic: Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec; Inland: Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut; Pacific: British Columbia and Yukon
  2. Inland vessel count is for Ontario Great Lakes only
  3. Statistics Canada, Survey of Aquaculture Industry, unpublished data.
  4. Inland totals include Ontario, Territories, and suppressed values for Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Quebec

Species highlights

Commercial seafisheries landings by species groups and region, 2023 - Weight (metric tonnes)

Commercial seafisheries landings by species groups and region, 2023 - Weight (metric tonnes)
Details Atlantic Pacific Canada
Other 16,438 0 16,438
Groundfish 65,909 71,015 136,924
Pelagics 84,692 14,673 99,365
Shellfish 387,169 14,699 401,868
Total Weight of Landings (metric tonnes) 554,209 100,387 654,595
Totals may not add up due to rounding

Commercial seafisheries landings by species groups and region, 2023 - Value ($’000)

Commercial seafisheries landings by species groups and region, 2023 - Value ($’000)
Details Atlantic Pacific Canada
Other 10,215 0 10,215
Groundfish 224,508 147,519 372,026
Pelagics 94,852 34,246 129,098
Shellfish 2,825,563 270,739 3,096,302
Total Value of Landings ($’000) 3,155,137 452,504 3,607,641
Totals may not add up due to rounding

Commercial Freshwater Landings, 2023

Commercial Freshwater Landings, 2023
Details Weight (metric tonnes) Value ($’000) Main Producing Province
Yellow Pickerel 11,836 53,124 Ontario
Perch 2,105 13,682 Ontario
Whitefish 3,064 11,858 Manitoba
Other 7,462 10,911 n/a
Total Landings 24,467 89,575 n/a
Totals may not add up due to rounding

Source: Department of Fisheries and Oceans (2024), EXIM [database], Ottawa.

Aquaculture production, 2023

Aquaculture production, 2023
Details Weight (metric tonnes) Value ($’000) Main Producing Province
Salmon 82,729 865,909 British Columbia
Mussels 21,989 45,099 Prince Edward Island
Oysters 15,079 66,282 British Columbia
Other 26,188 282,403 n/a
Total Aquaculture 145,985 1,259,693 n/a
Totals may not add up due to rounding

Aquaculture production statistics are sourced from Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0107-01 Aquaculture, production and value.

International trade statistics 1

International trade in fish and seafood products, 2023 and 2024 (exports)

International trade in fish and seafood products, 2023 and 2024 (exports)
Details Weight (metric tonnes) Value ($’000)
Top product exports, by species 2023 2024 2023 2024
Lobster 87,189 80,365 2,641,169 2,941,359
Snow/Queen Crab 61,341 59,331 1,042,276 1,248,201
Atlantic Salmon 64,144 74,266 807,594 940,009
Crab, other 24,320 17,353 456,671 385,455
Shrimp 51,011 44,764 441,122 347,109
Total Exports 535,536 515,921 7,625,753 8,111,368
  1. Source: Department of Fisheries and Oceans (2024), EXIM [database], Ottawa.

International trade in fish and seafood products, 2023 and 2024 (imports)

International trade in fish and seafood products, 2023 and 2024 (imports)
Details Weight (metric tonnes) Value ($’000)
Top product imports, by species 2023 2024 2023 2024
Salmon, all species 68,314 66,857 949,390 951,477
Shrimp 57,292 69,070 701,630 776,086
Lobster 15,902 15,613 284,165 354,462
Skipjack/Bonito Tuna 32,386 38,855 251,888 291,646
Crab, all species 14,389 10,657 187,489 175,889
Total Imports 488,620 514,377 4,560,052 4,907,027
  1. Source: Department of Fisheries and Oceans (2024), EXIM [database], Ottawa.

Marine economy

Canada’s marine economy spans a number of industries and sectors, including, but not limited to, commercial fishing, manufacturing, construction, and tourism. In 2023, the marine economy accounted for approximately 2% of Canada's total GDP.

Source: Statistics Canada's Inter-provincial Input-Output Model.

Source: Statistics Canada’s Inter-provincial Input-Output Model.

Long description
  • Marine GDP by province, 2023 ($billion)
    • BC: 18.4
    • NL: 12.4
    • NS: 10.7
    • QC: 5.5
    • NB: 2.2
    • PEI: 1.0
    • Territories: 0.5
Source: Statistics Canada's Inter-provincial Input-Output Model.

Source: Statistics Canada's Inter-provincial Input-Output Model.

Footnote: 1Impacts:

  • Direct: GDP impacts resulting from output in the marine industry itself.
  • Indirect: GDP impacts resulting from the demand for input purchases needed to support the output of the marine industry.
  • Induced: GDP impacts resulting from personal income spending generated from both direct and indirect impacts.
Long description
  • Marine GDP by industry and effect type, 2023 ($billion)
    • Oil and gas:
      • Direct: 7.0
      • Indirect: 1.1
      • Induced: 0.5
    • Marine tourism:
      • Direct: 5.7
      • Indirect: 3.5
      • Induced: 2.8
    • Public Sector:
      • Direct: 4.7
      • Indirect: 1.6
      • Induced: 2.7
    • Commercial fishing:
      • Direct: 2.9
      • Indirect: 0.9
      • Induced: 0.6
    • Support activities:
      • Direct: 2.5
      • Indirect: 1.9
      • Induced: 1.4
    • Water transportation:
      • Direct: 1.8
      • Indirect: 0.9
      • Induced: 1.0
    • Fish processing:
      • Direct: 1.3
      • Indirect: 0.6
      • Induced: 0.6
    • Ship and boat building:
      • Direct: 1.1
      • Indirect: 0.8
      • Induced: 0.6
    • Port and harbour construction:
      • Direct: 0.8
      • Indirect: 0.4
      • Induced: 0.4
    • Aquaculture:
      • Direct: 0.4
      • Indirect: 0.5
      • Induced: 0.2

Prepared by Statistical Services, Economic Analysis and Statistics, February, 2025

Data revisions and/or updates are available on Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Statistical Services website.

Date modified: