Cyprus, an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean, boasts a modest but vibrant fishing industry shaped by its rich maritime history and abundant coastal waters. The top fish catches in Cyprus include species such as sea bream (Sparus aurata), sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), red mullet (Mullus barbatus), and groupers (Epinephelus spp.), along with octopus and cuttlefish. Traditionally, fishing in Cyprus was a small-scale, family-run affair, with local fishers using nets and lines along the rocky coastline and in sheltered bays. Over time, the industry has modernized, incorporating aquaculture—particularly for sea bream and sea bass—which now accounts for a significant portion of the country’s fish production. Despite its relatively small size compared to other Mediterranean countries, Cyprus’s fishing sector remains important for local consumption and tourism, while also reflecting the island’s deep-rooted connection to the sea.
| Rank | Fish Species | Metric Tons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albacore | 448 |
| 2 | Atlantic bluefin tuna | 168 |
| 3 | Bogue | 83 |
| 4 | Picarel | 66 |
| 5 | Swordfish | 36 |
| 6 | Blotched picarel | 34 |
| 7 | Marbled spinefoot | 28 |
| 8 | Comber | 24 |
| 9 | Common cuttlefish | 23 |
| 10 | Devil firefish | 22 |
| 11 | Parrotfish | 20 |
| 11 | Freshwater fishes nei | 20 |
| 13 | Surmullet | 19 |
| 14 | Redcoat | 17 |
| 14 | Axillary seabream | 17 |
| 16 | Scorpionfishes, rockfishes nei | 15 |
| 17 | Common pandora | 14 |
| 18 | White seabream | 13 |
| 18 | Red Sea goatfish | 13 |
| 20 | Stingrays, butterfly rays nei | 12 |
| 20 | Red mullet | 12 |
| 22 | European squid | 11 |
| 23 | Red-eye round herring | 9 |
| 23 | Jack and horse mackerels nei | 9 |
| 25 | Greater amberjack | 8 |
| 25 | Bluespotted cornetfish | 8 |
| 27 | Dusky spinefoot | 7 |
| 29 | Painted comber | 6 |
| 29 | Atlantic chub mackerel | 6 |
| 29 | Atlantic lizardfish | 6 |
| 33 | Little tunny(=Atl.black skipj) | 5 |
| 33 | Red porgy | 5 |
| 33 | Gilthead seabream | 5 |
| 33 | Dusky grouper | 5 |
| 33 | Octopuses, etc. nei | 5 |
| 33 | Rays and skates nei | 5 |
| 37 | European hake | 4 |
| 37 | Skipjack tuna | 4 |
| 40 | European pilchard(=Sardine) | 3 |
| 40 | Frigate and bullet tunas | 3 |
| 40 | Gurnards, searobins nei | 3 |
| 45 | White grouper | 2 |
| 45 | Sand steenbras | 2 |
| 45 | Houndsharks, smoothhounds nei | 2 |
| 45 | Barracudas nei | 2 |
| 45 | Common two-banded seabream | 2 |
| 45 | Giant red shrimp | 2 |
| 45 | European seabass | 2 |
| 45 | Deep-water rose shrimp | 2 |
| 60 | Oilfish | 1 |
Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.