Top Puerto Rico Fish Catches

Puerto Rico boasts a vibrant fishing industry shaped by its rich Caribbean waters, where both commercial and recreational fishing thrive. The island is renowned for its impressive catches of pelagic species such as blue marlin, white marlin, mahi-mahi (dorado), wahoo, and yellowfin tuna, especially in deep waters off the north and east coasts. Inshore, snapper, grouper, and tarpon are highly sought after. Historically, fishing has been integral to Puerto Rican culture, with small-scale artisanal fisheries dominating for centuries, supplying local markets with fresh seafood. While commercial fishing remains modest compared to tourism, sportfishing has grown significantly, attracting anglers worldwide for prestigious tournaments and record-breaking marlin catches, cementing Puerto Rico’s reputation as a premier fishing destination in the Caribbean.

Rank	Fish Species	Metric Tons
1	Stromboid conchs nei	848
2	Caribbean spiny lobster	170
3	Silk snapper	106
4	Common dolphinfish	54
5	Yellowtail snapper	49
6	Queen snapper	39
7	Lane snapper	34
8	Ballyhoo halfbeak	24
9	Marine fishes nei	20
11	Bar jack	16
11	Red hind	16
11	King mackerel	16
13	Yellowfin tuna	14
13	Mutton snapper	14
15	Queen triggerfish	12
16	Hogfish	11
16	Little tunny(=Atl.black skipj)	11
18	Common snook	10
18	Boxfishes nei	10
20	Blackfin tuna	9
22	Cero	8
22	Octopuses, etc. nei	8
22	Wahoo	8
22	Snappers, jobfishes nei	8
25	Parrotfishes nei	7
27	Porgies, seabreams nei	6
27	Carangids nei	6
27	Sardinellas nei	6
31	Grunts, sweetlips nei	4
31	White grunt	4
31	White mullet	4
31	Blackfin snapper	4
31	Skipjack tuna	4
34	Vermilion snapper	3
34	Mojarras, etc. nei	3
38	Cardinal snapper	2
38	Black snapper	2
38	Mackerels nei	2
38	Groupers, seabasses nei	2
38	Cubera snapper	2
38	Mangrove cupped oyster	2
42	Coney	1

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