Home » Environment

One-Third of All Fish Caught Never Gets Eaten: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions

Millions of tons of fish are lost every year to waste—posing threats to food security, marine ecosystems, and economies worldwide.

By Medha deb

Created on Sep 27, 2025

Millions of tons of fish are lost every year to waste—posing threats to food security, marine ecosystems, and economies worldwide.

One-Third of All Fish Caught Never Gets Eaten

Fish has long been considered a critical source of protein and micronutrients for billions of people worldwide. Yet, in an era defined by population growth, food insecurity, and environmental pressures, an astonishing proportion of fish caught from the world’s waters never reaches a dinner plate. Over one-third of fish caught for human consumption ends up wasted, a phenomenon with profound implications for nutrition, ecosystems, and global economies.¹

Why Are So Many Fish Wasted?

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), roughly 27%–35% of all fish that are landed—pulled from the ocean or freshwaters—never get eaten.¹² The reasons for this waste are complex and span both developed and developing regions. They generally fall into three categories:

Discarded Bycatch: Many commercial fishing operations use nets and trawlers that catch both target and non-target species. Fish that are the wrong size, species, or quality are frequently thrown back dead into the sea, termed ‘bycatch.’¹
Spoilage Before Consumption: In many developing regions, lack of knowledge, proper storage, and refrigeration leads fish to rot before it can reach markets or consumers.¹²
Inefficiencies in Processing and Distribution: Large-scale losses also occur as fish are processed, stored, and shipped. Gaps in cold storage, logistics, and infrastructure are common contributors, especially where aquaculture is growing rapidly.

Global Fish Consumption at an All-Time High

Global fish production reached a record 179 million tonnes in 2018, and consumption per capita has doubled since 1961.⁴ Fish remains essential not just for protein, but for vital micronutrients that help combat malnutrition worldwide. The sharp rise in consumption has been driven in part by a boom in aquaculture (fish farming), notably in China.²³

Table: Key Facts About Global Fish Waste

Statistic	Value
Global fish production (2018)	179 million tonnes
Percentage of fish wasted	33%–35%
Annual food waste globally (all sources)	~33% of food production
People working in fisheries/aquaculture	~60 million
Share of global population relying on fish as protein	Billions

Why Does This Matter?

The consequences of fish waste span far beyond the simple loss of resources.

Food Security: With the world’s population projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, the FAO estimates food production must rise by 50%. Fish, being highly nutritious and accessible, is key to fighting hunger.¹
Economic Impacts: Fish provides livelihoods for around 60 million people, yet inefficiency in the sector exacerbates poverty and instability, particularly in developing nations.²
Environmental Strain: Wasting fish not only squanders energy, water, and resources consumed in catching and farming, but also damages marine ecosystems through overfishing and the discarding of bycatch.⁴
Social Consequences: Higher prices and shortages could disproportionately affect vulnerable and poor communities, especially in regions where fish is a staple.

Understanding the Problem: Overfishing and Bycatch

Overfishing occurs when more fish are caught than the population can naturally replace, threatening species’ survival and ecosystem balance. The FAO’s recent reports indicate that more than 30% of global fisheries are overexploited.⁴ This is particularly severe in regions like the Mediterranean. By focusing on top predators, fisheries have drastically reduced populations of species such as the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, leading to cascading ecological effects.

Bycatch: The Collateral Damage

Bycatch refers to the unintentional capture of non-target species in fishing gear. A significant portion of total fish waste—especially in industrial trawling—is due to discarding dead unwanted fish (often too small or the wrong species). Bycatch not only wastes billions of tons of edible fish but also kills countless turtles, dolphins, and seabirds, further disturbing marine ecosystems.¹

Causes of Fish Waste in Detail

Lack of Refrigeration and Preservation: Many artisanal and small-scale fishers in developing nations do not have access to ice, cold storage, or modern preservation techniques. As a result, fish often spoils in the period between landing and sale.¹
Poor Infrastructure: Weak transportation links, insufficient processing facilities, and unreliable electricity all contribute to high spoilage rates.
Market Preferences: Market demand for only certain species or sizes leads to viable, edible fish being deemed less valuable and discarded.³
Processing Losses: Fish can be wasted during filleting, canning, or other processing steps, especially where efficiency and skill levels are low.
Lack of Knowledge and Training: Fishers may lack training in techniques designed to maximize freshness and minimize post-harvest loss.

Unequal Burden: Who Suffers Most?

Fish waste is a global issue, but the burden falls unevenly:

Developing Countries: Spoilage and post-harvest losses are highest in countries lacking preservation and transport infrastructure. These regions often depend most heavily on fish for daily nutrition.²
Poor Coastal Communities: Without cold storage and efficient markets, fishermen see both their incomes and the fish they rely on lost.
Low-income Consumers: As scarcity increases, prices may rise, pushing fish out of reach for those who need it most.

Environmental Impacts of Wasted Fish

The ecological cost of wasted fish is steep, especially when considered alongside overfishing’s broader impacts:

Fish Population Decline: Overfishing driven by inefficiency removes vast numbers of fish from the ecosystem, affecting the food web.
Biodiversity Loss: Bycatch and ‘fishing down’ the food web can lead to loss of species and destabilization of entire marine environments.⁴
Habitat Damage: Trawling and other indiscriminate fishing methods harm reefs and seafloors, further reducing fisheries’ resilience.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Wasted fish also represents wasted energy in harvesting, transporting, and processing.

Innovative Solutions and Global Efforts

Given the scale and consequences of this waste, both international agencies and grassroots organizations are developing solutions. Successful approaches include:

Technological Interventions:
- Low-cost refrigeration and ice-making units for small-scale fishers have shown strong results.
- Dried fish racks elevated above ground reduced losses by 50% at Lake Tanganyika.²
- Improved processing equipment and packaging to extend shelf life.
Policy and Regulation:
- Stricter bycatch regulations and incentives to land all fish caught.
- International cooperation to set science-based catch limits and enforce sustainable practices.²
Education and Training: Simple training in storage, handling, and preservation has lowered spoilage in pilot programs.
Market Innovations: Creating demand for ‘undesirable’ or underutilized fish species to reduce waste (e.g., chefs featuring new species, or products using fishmeal).
Support for Aquaculture: Sustainable, well-managed fish farming can reduce pressure on wild stocks.

Case Studies in Waste Reduction

On Lake Tanganyika in Africa, raised drying racks halved fish waste losses and increased local earnings.²
New cold chain facilities in parts of the Indian Ocean region led to a 40% drop in crab harvest losses.

The Bigger Picture: Fish Waste and Global Food Waste

Fish is only part of the larger global food waste crisis—about one third of all food produced for people each year is never eaten. Wasting fish further aggravates water scarcity, carbon emissions, and habitat loss, while tens of millions go hungry.³

What Can Consumers Do?

Seek out and consume lesser-known or undervalued fish species, helping to balance demand.
Support seafood sourcing from sustainable, certified fisheries or aquaculture operations.
Demand transparency and responsible practices from retailers and brands.
Reduce personal and household food waste by careful planning, storage, and use of leftovers.

Outlook: Can We Halve Fish Waste?

Experts agree that significant progress can be made. With investment in preservation, logistics, and education, and through stronger regulations on discards and bycatch, millions of tons of nutritious fish can be preserved for those who need it. The FAO and organizations like Oceana call for urgent, coordinated action to close the gap between what is caught and what is consumed. On a planet where more than 10% of people are undernourished, such waste is not only unsustainable—it is unjust.²³

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Why is so much fish wasted globally?

A: Fish waste mainly results from bycatch (unwanted and non-target fish discarded at sea), spoilage due to poor storage and lack of refrigeration, and inefficiencies in processing and market demand.¹²

Q: Which countries or regions are most affected by fish waste?

A: Developing countries, especially those with poor infrastructure and limited means for preservation, suffer the highest post-harvest losses. These losses affect communities that rely most on fish for nutrition.¹²

Q: How does fish waste impact the environment?

A: Fish waste exacerbates overfishing, leads to unnecessary killing of marine life, depletes fish stocks, and drives biodiversity loss. It also wastes energy and resources used in fishing and processing.³⁴

Q: What are the best solutions to reduce fish waste?

A: Solutions include expanding access to cold storage and ice, stricter bycatch regulations, education in preservation and processing, promoting less-valued species, and supporting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.²

Q: Is fish waste unique, or part of a larger trend?

A: Fish waste is part of a global problem—about one third of all food produced is never consumed. However, fish waste is especially critical, given its importance for nutrition and the vulnerability of marine ecosystems.³

References

Author

medha deb

Medha Deb is an editor with a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad. She believes that her qualification has helped her develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts.

Read full bio of medha deb