The United States Minor Outlying Islands, a group of small, mostly uninhabited islands and atolls scattered across the Pacific and Caribbean, have a limited but notable fishing industry primarily centered around commercial tuna fishing, especially in the Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA) such as Palmyra Atoll, Howland Island, and Baker Island. The top species caught in these waters are highly migratory pelagic fish, with yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, and skipjack tuna dominating the commercial catch. Historically, the fishing industry in these remote islands has been minimal due to their isolation, lack of infrastructure, and protected status under U.S. jurisdiction. In recent decades, the establishment of large marine national monuments and conservation areas has further restricted commercial fishing activities, preserving the unique marine ecosystems while allowing limited, regulated tuna fishing by U.S.-flagged vessels operating in the surrounding exclusive economic zones. As a result, the islands contribute modestly to the overall U.S. fish catch, primarily through sustainable, high-value tuna fisheries.
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Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.