Top Seychelles Fish Catches

The Seychelles boasts a vibrant fishing industry, which stands as one of the nation’s economic pillars alongside tourism. Its rich, nutrient-laden waters in the Indian Ocean yield abundant catches, with tuna—particularly yellowfin and skipjack—dominating both artisanal and industrial fisheries. Other top species include bonito, swordfish, and a variety of snappers and groupers, prized both locally and for export. Historically, fishing in Seychelles began as a subsistence activity among early settlers, evolving into a commercial enterprise in the 20th century with the advent of industrial tuna fishing and the establishment of canneries. Today, Seychelles is recognized as a major tuna port in the region, exporting significant quantities to Europe and Asia, while also promoting sustainable practices to preserve its marine resources.

Rank	Fish Species	Metric Tons
1	Skipjack tuna	78,553
2	Yellowfin tuna	35,967
3	Bigeye tuna	14,017
4	Carangids nei	1,050
5	Swordfish	852
6	Marine fishes nei	851
7	Frigate and bullet tunas	805
8	Albacore	710
9	Snappers, jobfishes nei	605
10	Snappers nei	600
11	Tuna-like fishes nei	462
12	Black teatfish	396
13	Indian mackerel	350
14	Blue shark	347
15	Emperors(=Scavengers) nei	300
15	Groupers, seabasses nei	300
17	Blue marlin	292
18	Spinefeet(=Rabbitfishes) nei	250
18	Demersal percomorphs nei	250
20	Sea cucumbers nei	195
21	Barracudas nei	150
22	Indo-Pacific sailfish	81
22	Sharks, rays, skates, etc. nei	81
24	Prickly redfish	61
25	Black marlin	60
26	Marine crabs nei	50
27	White teatfish	46
28	Shortfin mako	39
29	Striped marlin	32
30	Common dolphinfish	30
30	Octopuses, etc. nei	30
32	Indian mackerels nei	20
33	Wahoo	3
34	Shortbill spearfish	2
35	Tropical spiny lobsters nei	1
35	Marlins,sailfishes,etc. nei	1

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