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Canada's Fisheries Fast Facts 2023

Canada's Fisheries Fast Facts 2023

Canada's Fisheries Fast Facts 2023 (PDF, 452 KB)

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National overview

Principal statistics, 2022

Principal statistics, 2022
Details Amount
Gross Value of Outputs (CAD $'000)
Commercial sea and freshwater fisheries landings 4,819,402
Aquaculture production 1 1,342,553
Seafood product preparation & packaging revenues 2 7,545,532
Employment (number of persons)
Commercial fish harvesters and crew 3 45,064
Aquaculture 3,845
Seafood product preparation & packaging 20,264
Commercial seafisheries
Total weight of landings (metric tonnes) 686,821
Total value of landings (CAD $'000) 4,730,349
Commercial freshwater fisheries
Total weight of landings (metric tonnes) 25,880
Total value of landings (CAD $'000) 89,053
International trade statistics (CAD $'000) 4
Total value of fish and seafood exports 8,450,822
Total value of fish and seafood imports 5,522,420
Trade balance 2,928,402
  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 (2023), EXIM [database], Ottawa.

Regional overview 1

Landings and production statistics, 2022

Landings and production statistics, 2022
Commercial sea and freshwater fisheries Pacific Inland Atlantic Canada
Number of registered fishing vessels 2 2,165 150 14,388 16,703
Total weight of landings (metric tonnes) 114,603 25,880 572,218 712,701
Total value of landings ($'000) 441,328 89,053 4,289,021 4,819,402
Aquaculture
Number of aquaculture establishments 3 216 126 516 858
Total weight of production (metric tonnes) 4 96,507 6,409 63,349 166,265
Total value of production ($'000) 4 916,924 37,532 388,097 1,342,553
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 Statistics Canada, Survey of Aquaculture Industry, unpublished data.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, 2022 – Weight (metric tonnes)

Commercial seafisheries landings by species groups and region, 2022 – Weight (metric tonnes)
Details Atlantic Pacific Canada
Other 16,403 0 16,403
Groundfish 75,838 82,839 158,676
Pelagics 89,230 15,598 104,827
Shellfish 390,748 16,166 406,914
Total Weight of Landings (metric tonnes) 572,218 114,603 686,821
Totals may not add up due to rounding

Commercial seafisheries landings by species groups and region, 2022 - Value ($'000)

Commercial seafisheries landings by species groups and region, 2022 - Value ($'000)
Details Atlantic Pacific Canada
Other 17,663 0 17,663
Groundfish 262,603 155,692 418,296
Pelagics 130,857 62,363 193,220
Shellfish 3,877,898 223,272 4,101,170
Total Value of Landings ($'000) 4,289,021 441,328 4,730,349
Totals may not add up due to rounding

Aquaculture production, 2022

Aquaculture production, 2022
Details Weight (metric tonnes) Value ($'000) Main Producing Province
Salmon 107,998 1,083,501 British Columbia
Trout 7,306 44,746 Ontario
Steelhead 0 0 n/a
Other Finfish 1,805 21,668 British Columbia
Clams 1,361 9,401 British Columbia
Oysters 14,911 63,039 British Columbia
Mussels 23,795 44,146 Prince Edward Island
Scallops 83 644 British Columbia
Other Shellfish 208 7,779 Nova Scotia
Other 8,798 67,629 n/a
Total Aquaculture 166,265 1,342,553 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, 2022 and 2023 (exports)

International trade in fish and seafood products, 2022 and 2023 (exports)
Details Weight (metric tonnes) Value ($'000)
Top product exports, by species 2022 2023 2022 2023
Lobster 97,443 87,049 2,808,917 2,632,202
Snow/Queen Crab 48,446 61,266 1,445,242 1,040,845
Atlantic Salmon 78,082 64,799 970,991 807,531
Shrimp 55,281 50,872 438,391 439,738
Crab, other 22,217 24,313 537,131 456,527
Total Exports 565,213 535,667 8,450,822 7,606,750
  1. Source: Department of Fisheries and Oceans (2023), EXIM [database], Ottawa.

International trade in fish and seafood products, 2022 and 2023 (imports)

International trade in fish and seafood products, 2022 and 2023 (imports)
Details Weight (metric tonnes) Value ($'000)
Top product imports, by species 2022 2023 2022 2023
Salmon, all species 73,780 69,411 1,035,869 957,790
Shrimp 74,276 57,288 995,935 701,456
Lobster 18,045 15,901 259,069 284,159
Skipjack/Bonito Tuna 48,600 32,388 343,684 251,887
Crab, all species 12,457 14,508 199,329 187,613
Total Imports 631,958 488,408 5,522,420 4,563,632
  1. Source: Department of Fisheries and Oceans (2023), 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 2022, 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, 2022 ($billion)
    • BC: 17
    • NL: 16
    • NS: 10
    • QC: 5
    • NB: 3
    • PEI: 1
    • Territories: 1
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, 2022 ($billion)
    • Oil and gas:
      • Direct: 10
      • Indirect: 2
      • Induced: 1
    • Marine tourism:
      • Direct: 5
      • Indirect: 3
      • Induced: 2
    • Public Sector:
      • Direct: 4
      • Indirect: 1
      • Induced: 2
    • Commercial fishing:
      • Direct: 3
      • Indirect: 1
      • Induced: 1
    • Support activities:
      • Direct: 2
      • Indirect: 2
      • Induced: 1
    • Water transportation:
      • Direct: 2
      • Indirect: 1
      • Induced: 1
    • Fish processing:
      • Direct: 2
      • Indirect: 1
      • Induced: 1
    • Ship and boat building:
      • Direct: 1
      • Indirect: 1
      • Induced: 1
    • Port and harbour construction:
      • Direct: 1
      • Indirect: 0
      • Induced: 0
    • Aquaculture:
      • Direct: 0
      • Indirect: 1
      • Induced: 0

Prepared by Statistical Services, Economic Analysis and Statistics, February, 2024

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

Date modified: