Top Israel Fish Catches

Israel’s fishing industry is relatively modest due to its limited coastline along the Mediterranean Sea and the freshwater resources of the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret). The country’s top fish catches include Mediterranean species such as sardines, mullet, and bream, as well as freshwater species like tilapia (locally known as "St. Peter’s fish") from the Sea of Galilee. Historically, fishing has been practiced in the region for thousands of years, with ancient communities relying on the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean for sustenance. In modern times, Israel’s wild-capture fisheries face challenges from overfishing and environmental pressures, leading to increased emphasis on aquaculture, which now supplies a significant portion of the nation’s fish, including carp and tilapia. The industry remains small but culturally significant, with both traditional and modern methods coexisting along Israel’s coasts and inland waters.

Rank	Fish Species	Metric Tons
1	Mullets nei	470
2	Mango tilapia	270
3	Common squids nei	145
4	Randall's threadfin bream	105
5	Surmullets(=Red mullets) nei	95
6	Silver carp	90
7	Cyprinids nei	80
7	Common pandora	80
9	Redcoat	75
10	Porgies, seabreams nei	70
11	Common two-banded seabream	60
14	Sardinellas nei	45
14	Pargo breams nei	45
14	Greater amberjack	45
14	Kinneret bleak	45
14	Marine fishes nei	45
18	Atlantic chub mackerel	40
18	Bogue	40
18	Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel	40
20	Little tunny(=Atl.black skipj)	35
20	Atlantic horse mackerel	35
22	Common carp	20
24	Shrimp scad	10
24	Atlantic bluefin tuna	10
24	Kuruma prawn	10
24	White grouper	10
30	Octopuses, etc. nei	5
30	Groupers nei	5
30	Dusky grouper	5
30	Common cuttlefish	5
30	Carangids nei	5
30	Blue tilapia	5
30	Barracudas nei	5
30	Triggerfishes, durgons nei	5

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.