Brazil’s fishing industry is shaped by its vast coastline, extensive river systems, and the Amazon basin, making it one of South America’s leading fish producers. The top fish catches in Brazil include marine species such as sardines, tuna, and mackerel, as well as freshwater species like tambaqui, pirarucu (arapaima), and tilapia. The Amazon region, in particular, is renowned for its diverse and abundant freshwater fisheries. Historically, fishing in Brazil has been a vital subsistence activity for indigenous and coastal communities, but it expanded significantly in the 20th century with the development of commercial fleets and aquaculture. Today, both wild capture and fish farming play key roles in Brazil’s economy, with tilapia farming experiencing rapid growth and making Brazil one of the world’s top tilapia producers. The industry continues to balance economic development with the need to protect the country’s rich aquatic biodiversity.
| Rank | Fish Species | Metric Tons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazilian sardinella | 61,450 |
| 2 | Whitemouth croaker | 40,000 |
| 3 | Atlantic thread herring | 36,600 |
| 4 | Sea catfishes nei | 29,600 |
| 5 | Marine fishes nei | 29,400 |
| 6 | Prochilods nei | 25,500 |
| 7 | Laulao catfish | 22,200 |
| 8 | Acoupa weakfish | 20,600 |
| 9 | Clupeoids nei | 18,700 |
| 10 | South American silver croaker | 17,900 |
| 11 | Mullets nei | 16,900 |
| 12 | Paraguayan caiman | 16,755 |
| 13 | Yellowfin tuna | 15,522 |
| 14 | Freshwater siluroids nei | 15,300 |
| 15 | Characins nei | 15,200 |
| 16 | Kissing prochilodus | 14,900 |
| 17 | Skipjack tuna | 14,122 |
| 18 | Atlantic seabob | 13,100 |
| 19 | Argentine croaker | 12,500 |
| 20 | Cichlids nei | 12,400 |
| 21 | King weakfish | 10,100 |
| 22 | Sharks, rays, skates, etc. nei | 9,800 |
| 23 | Seerfishes nei | 9,100 |
| 24 | Redspotted shrimp | 9,000 |
| 25 | Loweye catfishes nei | 8,660 |
| 26 | Tilapias nei | 8,600 |
| 27 | Marine crabs nei | 8,000 |
| 28 | Sorubims nei | 7,900 |
| 29 | Bigeye tuna | 7,341 |
| 30 | Caribbean spiny lobster | 7,300 |
| 31 | Snappers, jobfishes nei | 6,850 |
| 32 | Weakfishes nei | 6,300 |
| 33 | Southern red snapper | 6,000 |
| 34 | Stripped weakfish | 5,900 |
| 35 | Rays, stingrays, mantas nei | 5,800 |
| 36 | Jacks, crevalles nei | 5,650 |
| 37 | Yellowtail snapper | 5,600 |
| 38 | Brazilian codling | 5,250 |
| 39 | Atlantic searobins | 5,220 |
| 40 | River prawns nei | 5,200 |
| 40 | Freshwater fishes nei | 5,200 |
| 42 | Triggerfishes, durgons nei | 4,970 |
| 43 | Atlantic chub mackerel | 4,815 |
| 44 | Sea mussels nei | 4,810 |
| 45 | Anchovies, etc. nei | 4,400 |
| 46 | Penaeus shrimps nei | 4,100 |
| 47 | Cachama | 3,820 |
| 48 | Bluefish | 3,540 |
| 49 | Southern white shrimp | 3,500 |
| 50 | Snooks(=Robalos) nei | 3,450 |
Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.