Top Togo Fish Catches

Togo’s fishing industry, though relatively small compared to some of its West African neighbors, plays a vital role in local livelihoods and food security, especially along the country’s short Atlantic coastline and on Lake Togo. The top fish catches in Togo include species such as sardinella, tilapia, catfish, and bonga shad, with sardinella being particularly important in the marine sector. Artisanal fishing dominates, using traditional canoes and gear, while industrial fishing remains limited. Historically, fishing in Togo has been practiced for centuries by coastal and lakeside communities, evolving from subsistence activities to a more commercial focus in the 20th century. Despite challenges such as overfishing and limited infrastructure, the sector continues to supply a significant portion of the nation’s protein needs and supports thousands of Togolese families.

Rank	Fish Species	Metric Tons
1	Tilapias nei	4,877
2	European anchovy	2,828
3	Madeiran sardinella	2,188
4	Round sardinella	1,691
5	Bigeye grunt	1,614
6	Freshwater fishes nei	1,300
7	Triggerfishes, durgons nei	1,219
8	Little tunny(=Atl.black skipj)	978
9	Barracudas nei	866
10	Carangids nei	512
11	Jack and horse mackerels nei	444
12	Crevalle jack	342
13	Freshwater siluroids nei	325
14	Pandoras nei	320
15	West African Spanish mackerel	282
16	Frigate and bullet tunas	232
17	Dentex nei	193
18	Flyingfishes nei	152
19	Atlantic bumper	146
20	Red pandora	125
21	Lesser African threadfin	124
22	Largehead hairtail	106
23	Snappers nei	105
24	Halfbeaks nei	70
25	Mullets nei	65
26	African moonfish	53
27	Groupers nei	48
28	Skipjack tuna	41
29	Atlantic emperor	39
30	West African ilisha	33
31	Hammerhead sharks, etc. nei	30
32	Bluefish	26
33	Cassava croaker	20
34	Marine fishes nei	15
35	Cuttlefish, bobtail squids nei	13
36	Atlantic bonito	12
37	Bigeye tuna	10
38	West African croakers nei	8
39	African forktail snapper	7
40	Common dolphinfish	6
41	Sharks, rays, skates, etc. nei	5
41	Rays, stingrays, mantas nei	5
43	African sicklefish	4
44	Mackerels nei	3
44	Atlantic sailfish	3
49	Needlefishes, etc. nei	2
49	Blue marlin	2
49	West African goatfish	2
49	Soles nei	2
49	Puffers nei	2

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