Top Pacific Sardine Fishing Countries

The Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) is a small, schooling pelagic fish found in the temperate waters of the Pacific Ocean, known for its silvery body and high oil content, making it valuable for human consumption, animal feed, and bait. The top Pacific sardine fishing countries are Mexico, the United States (primarily California), Chile, and Japan, each with a long history of commercial sardine fisheries. Mexico and the United States focus their efforts along the Pacific coasts, with Ensenada and Monterey historically serving as major sardine ports. Chile’s sardine industry is centered along its central and southern coasts, where large-scale purse seine fleets operate. Japan also harvests Pacific sardines, though catches have fluctuated greatly due to natural population cycles. These countries have developed significant processing industries, exporting canned, frozen, and fishmeal products worldwide, while also implementing management measures to address the species’ sensitivity to environmental changes and overfishing.

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