Top Anchovies Not Elsewhere Included Fishing Countries

The category "Anchovies nei" (not elsewhere included) refers to various anchovy species beyond the well-known European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus), encompassing several small, schooling fish in the family Engraulidae. These fish are primarily harvested for human consumption, animal feed, and as bait in other fisheries. The leading countries involved in the capture of anchovies nei are typically Peru, Chile, and China, with significant contributions also from countries such as Thailand and Vietnam. Peru and Chile are especially dominant due to the vast stocks of anchoveta (Engraulis ringens) in the Humboldt Current, which constitutes the world’s largest single-species fishery by volume. These nations have developed large-scale industrial fisheries, much of which is processed into fishmeal and fish oil for global export. The anchovy fishery is crucial to the economies of these countries, supporting thousands of jobs and providing a vital protein source both directly and indirectly through aquaculture feed.

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