Kiribati’s fishing industry is a vital part of its economy and food security, with tuna being the top fish catch and export. The country’s vast exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the central Pacific is among the world’s richest tuna fishing grounds, yielding skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye tuna as the primary species targeted by both local and foreign fleets. Traditionally, subsistence fishing for reef fish such as parrotfish, grouper, and trevally has sustained local communities for centuries. However, since the late 20th century, the commercialization of tuna—especially through licensing agreements with foreign purse seine and longline vessels—has transformed the sector, making fishing licenses Kiribati’s largest source of government revenue. Despite challenges such as overfishing and climate change, the fishing industry remains central to Kiribati’s economy and way of life.
| Rank | Fish Species | Metric Tons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Skipjack tuna | 159,110 |
| 2 | Yellowfin tuna | 27,635 |
| 3 | Bigeye tuna | 10,642 |
| 4 | Albacore | 2,162 |
| 5 | Snappers, jobfishes nei | 680 |
| 6 | Emperors(=Scavengers) nei | 550 |
| 7 | Flyingfishes nei | 450 |
| 8 | Marine fishes nei | 430 |
| 9 | Swordfish | 401 |
| 10 | Jacks, crevalles nei | 270 |
| 11 | Blue marlin | 250 |
| 12 | Blue shark | 184 |
| 13 | Groupers, seabasses nei | 126 |
| 14 | Mojarras(=Silver-biddies) nei | 110 |
| 15 | Mullets nei | 105 |
| 16 | Goatfishes | 45 |
| 17 | Black marlin | 37 |
| 18 | Striped marlin | 27 |
| 19 | Marine molluscs nei | 20 |
| 19 | Marine crustaceans nei | 20 |
| 21 | Clupeoids nei | 18 |
| 22 | Squirrelfishes nei | 8 |
| 23 | Barracudas nei | 5 |
| 24 | Mackerel sharks,porbeagles nei | 3 |
| 24 | Thresher sharks nei | 3 |
| 26 | Milkfish | 2 |
| 27 | Octopuses, etc. nei | 1 |
Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.