Fisheries Country Profile: Thailand

Thailand is bounded by the Gulf of Thailand in the east and the Andaman Sea in the west. The total land area of the country is about 514,000 km² with a total coastline of about 7,066 km and about 299,397 km2 of exclusive economic zone. There are 25 river basins and the two principal river systems are the Chao Phraya River and Mekong River.

The fisheries sector is categorized into capture fisheries (inland and marine) and aquaculture (coastal and freshwater). In 2021, the gross domestic product from fisheries was 1.5 % and the fish available for consumption was 27.20 kg/capita. The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is responsible for the promotion of the Thai fishing industry while ensuring the sustainability of aquaculture and capture fisheries.

The national fishery production is generally composed of around 59 % from capture fisheries and around 41 % from aquaculture.

Total fishery production of Thailand by quantity (MT)

2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
Total 2,406,800 2,393,971 2,488,833 2,456,294 2,386,916 2,425,901 2,429,856
Capture Fisheries 1,416,905 1,434,064 1,527,130 1,536,756 1,493,044 1,463,295 1,501,318
Marine Capture 1,299,519 1,310,808 1,410,665 1,392,931 1,300,421 1,275,995 1,317,217
Inland Capture 117,386 123,256 116,465 143,825 192,623 187,300 196,500
Aquaculture 989,895 959,907 961,703 919,538 893,872 962,606 928,538

Source: Fishery Statistical Bulletin of Southeast Asia 2021

Total fishery production of Thailand by value (USD 1,000)

2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
Total 5,180,569 5,077,904 5,529,289 5,209,759 4,723,207 4,368,492 4,119,031
Capture Fisheries 2,221,380 2,127,482 2,355,522 2,191,793 2,018,219 1,880,345 4,119,031
Marine Capture 1,987,753 1,896,545 2,129,604 1,918,910 1,715,517 1,581,541 1,486,032
Inland Capture 233,627 230,937 225,918 272,883 302,702 298,804 301,441
Aquaculture 2,959,277 2,950,422 3,173,767 3,017,966 2,704,988 2,488,147 2,331,558

Source: Fishery Statistical Bulletin of Southeast Asia 2021

Production of major species/groups of species from marine capture fisheries of Thailand by quantity (MT)

Major species/group 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
Anchovies 130,681 141,599 143,218 130,891 120,809 129,608 102,108
Scads 95,980 97,396 103,423 104,443 109,512 121,137 89,365
Squids 92,307 86,548 98,375 111,241 98,093 108,988 90,987
Sardinellas 55,775 57,435 91,989 71,463 72,096 72,729 81,051
Mackerels 89,127 79,844 86,879 72,441 74,276 81,017 116,913
Shrimps/prawns 52,858 56,586 60,954 48,790 33,051 42,453 33,447
Carangids 52,095 52,087 57,053 73,617 96,928 67,988 50,790
Crabs 45,334 48,071 50,950 32,662 35,884 36,064 23,874
Tunas 54,253 54,099 46,397 43,718 45,459 39,849 42,539
Threadfin breams 40,317 31,351 40,185 35,996 31,584 31,318 36,868

Source: Fishery Statistical Bulletin of Southeast Asia 2021

Production of major species/groups of species from inland capture fisheries of Thailand by quantity (MT)

Major species/group 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
Silver barb 20,536 20,969 21,907 24,858 30,870 21,300 21,049
Tilapias 16,177 17,280 17,359 19,920 19,869 20,700 20,469
Catfishes 8,603 9,553 9,389 11,294 14,647 13,600 13,346
Snakeheads 7,098 9,204 7,937 12,003 14,471 16,100 15,013
Crustaceans 1,148 1,317 1,456 1,226 611
Climbing perch 330 4,507 4,029 4,875 7,920 7,900 7,848

Source: Fishery Statistical Bulletin of Southeast Asia 2021

Production of major species/groups of species from aquaculture of Thailand by quantity (MT)

Major species/group 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
Shrimps/prawns 387,855 421,052 428,757 406,083 381,102 342,511 310,975
Tilapias 253,489 206,050 228,680 216,696 218,011 208,144 205,976
Catfishes 105,853 112,525 110,467 120,458 117,895 131,634 133,241
Molluscs 98,910 119,001 88,973 78,203 98,256 197,201 194,405
Barramundi 47,636 45,415 47,203 39,278 20,454 17,610 17,250
Silver barb 24,329 20,498 21,767 23,124 23,647 30,703 30,498

Source: Fishery Statistical Bulletin of Southeast Asia 2021

Export and import of fishery products of Thailand by quantity (MT) and value (USD 1,000)

Year Export Import
Quantity (MT) Value (USD 1,000) Quantity (MT) Value (USD 1,000)
2021 1,354,805 5,411,785 2,102,161 3,842,501
2020 1,481,707 5,739,224 2,154,434 3,743,441
2019 1,391,701 5,864,824 1,988,143 3,774,411
2018 1,394,091 6,077,436 2,129,606 4,068,941
2017 1,354,237 6,041,469 1,924,537 3,669,269
2016 1,515,437 5,914,988 1,868,170 3,179,244
2015 1,545,968 5,701,788 1,620,659 2,616,038

Source: FAO Fishery and Aquaculture Information and Statistics Service