Top Ukraine Fish Catches

Ukraine’s fishing industry has long played a vital role in the country’s economy and food supply, particularly due to its extensive river systems, lakes, and access to the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. The top fish catches in Ukraine include freshwater species such as carp, pike, perch, catfish, and zander, as well as marine species like sprat, goby, and herring from its coastal waters. Historically, fishing thrived in Ukraine during the Soviet era, with large-scale operations and significant exports. However, the industry faced decline after the dissolution of the USSR due to economic challenges and territorial disputes, especially after 2014. Today, while wild catches have decreased, aquaculture is growing, with carp and other freshwater fish dominating production. The Dnieper River and its reservoirs, as well as the Danube Delta, remain crucial fishing grounds, supporting both commercial and artisanal fisheries.

Rank	Fish Species	Metric Tons
1	Antarctic krill	9,006
2	Goldfish	4,931
3	Silver carp	2,029
4	Freshwater bream	1,712
5	Roach	1,500
6	White bream	716
7	Pike-perch	472
8	Common carp	413
9	Finfishes nei	389
10	So-iuy mullet	304
11	Cyprinids nei	270
12	Antarctic toothfish	227
13	Grass carp(=White amur)	107
14	Wels(=Som) catfish	96
14	Sichel	96
16	Northern pike	88
17	Big-scale sand smelt	83
18	Pontic shad	56
19	Mullets nei	52
20	Black and Caspian Sea sprat	37
21	Baltic prawn	24
22	European perch	21
23	Euro-American crayfishes nei	18
24	Grenadiers nei	13
24	Mediterranean mussel	13
26	Shads nei	11
27	Freshwater gobies nei	10
28	Rudd	9
29	Asp	7
31	Gobies nei	2
31	Turbot	2
31	Vimba bream	2
34	Rays, stingrays, mantas nei	1
34	Salps	1
34	European anchovy	1

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