Fisheries Country Profile: Cambodia

Cambodia covers a total area of 181,035 km2 and shares its international borders with Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The coastline length is around 435 km and the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) covers 55,600 km2 in the Gulf of Thailand.

The fisheries sector plays a crucial role in the economy and food security of the country. In 2021, the gross domestic product from fisheries was 7-8 %, and the fish available for consumption was 52.4 kg/capita. The Fisheries Administration (FiA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) is the responsible agency for fisheries. The vision of FiA is the management, conservation, and development of sustainable utilization of fisheries resources aimed at contributing to people’s food security and socioeconomic development in order to enhance people’s livelihoods and the nation’s prosperity.

The primary sources of fish are the Great Lake, Mekong River, and Bassac River; while the secondary sources are the coastal areas of the Gulf of Thailand. Inland fisheries significantly contribute to total fisheries production, while marine fisheries have been developing slowly and aquaculture is considered to have great potential for increasing fisheries production in the country.

Total fishery production of Cambodia by quantity (MT)

2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
Total 856,400 936,300 969,098 943,205 857,018 808,550 731,889
Capture Fisheries 508,050 535,900 661,690 689,155 649,518 636,050 588,889
Marine Capture 125,000 122,700 137,225 153,600 121,025 126,700 100,984
Inland Capture 383,050 413,200 524,465 535,555 528,493 509,350 487,905
Aquaculture 348,350 400,400 307,408 254,050 207,500 172,500 143,000

Source: Fishery Statistical Bulletin of Southeast Asia 2021

Total fishery products of Cambodia by value (US$ 1,000)

Year Export Import
Quantity (MT) Value (US$ 1,000) Quantity (MT) Value (US$ 1,000)
2021 31,860 65,434 67,540 55,017
2020 32,747 65,348 32,052 32,871
2019 33,297 66,322 32,354 31,756
2018 41,969 85,306 18,937 26,991
2017 37,007 75,361 24,118 28,748
2016 32,201 65,442 24,482 20,571
2015 32,664 66,046 19,890 17,363

Source: FAO Fishery and Aquaculture Information and Statistics Service