Country profile
Coastal fisheries snapshot
demersal fish (including surgeonfish, convict tangs, rabbitfish, parrotfish, snappers and aquarium fish), invertebrates for export (e.g. trochus and sea cucumbers) and gleaned from intertidal habitats, and nearshore pelagic fish (including trevally) using a range of fishing methods.
Top 5 training topics
Gender participation
Male participations: 383 (77%) · Female participations: 116 (23%)
Yearly participations (2016–2025)
Projected changes in atmospheric & ocean climate (by 2050)
Relative to 1995-2014 baseline. Regional CMIP6 projections applied to Marshall Islands's climate zone (Northwest Tropical Pacific).
Coastal fisheries (current vs 2050)
demersal fish (including surgeonfish, convict tangs, rabbitfish, parrotfish, snappers and aquarium fish), invertebrates for export (e.g. trochus and sea cucumbers) and gleaned from intertidal habitats, and nearshore pelagic fish (including trevally) using a range of fishing methods.
Oceanic fisheries (current vs 2050)
Tuna fisheries — skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye and albacore. Habitat areas projected to shift with ocean temperature, stratification and oxygen content changes.
Freshwater & estuarine fisheries (current vs 2050)
Inland fisheries are expected to be affected by changes in rainfall patterns, river flow, and habitat accessibility by 2050.
Aquaculture (current vs 2050)
Mariculture impacted by sea surface temperature, ocean acidification and intense storms. Freshwater aquaculture may benefit from increased freshwater habitat but face disease and temperature pressure.
Livelihoods & economies (current vs 2050)
Fisheries and aquaculture provide household income, jobs and government revenue. Climate-driven changes will affect employment and economic contribution.
Aquatic food security (current vs 2050)
Aquatic (blue) foods provide an important source of nutrition. Population growth combined with climate impacts may create deficits in fish supply.
Blue food production systems (current vs 2050)
Blue foods contribute to nutrition security, economies, livelihoods and jobs. Climate impacts on coastal, oceanic, freshwater fisheries and aquaculture together determine the system's resilience.
In the Marshall Islands, blue foods make key contributions to nutrition and economies. Compared to other Pacific islands, projected climate impacts to blue food production by 2050 are medium to high. Socioeconomic conditions make the Marshall Islands' sustainable development highly vulnerable to climate-induced losses.
Recommended adaptation: Food & nutrition security
- Implement sustainable ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management Food and Nutrition 2
- Diversify blue food production systems Food and Nutrition 5
- Improve post-harvest preservation methods for fish and invertebrates to prepare for sudden shocks
- Promote education and awareness on the importance of protecting aquatic habitats, species and the foods they supply
Recommended adaptation: Sustainable livelihoods
- Diversify aquaculture commodities and develop new farmed climate-resilient species, strains and varieties
- Apply innovative technologies and climate-smart tools for pond aquaculture and mariculture Livelihoods 3
- Improve technical and business viability of fisheries Livelihoods 5
Recommended adaptation: Economies & government revenue
- Implement climate-informed fisheries management Economic Revenue 2
- Implement energy efficiency programs for fisheries and aquaculture Economic Revenue 4
- Maintain the contribution of fisheries and aquaculture to government revenue and economies
- Climate-proof infrastructure 157
Community-based Fisheries Management — Marshall Islands
Source: Govan & Lalavanua 2022 (SPC), updated from FAO & SPC Outlook 2026. See the regional CBFM Report for full analysis.
Coastal fisheries in Marshall Islands
demersal fish (including surgeonfish, convict tangs, rabbitfish, parrotfish, snappers and aquarium fish), invertebrates for export (e.g. trochus and sea cucumbers) and gleaned from intertidal habitats, and nearshore pelagic fish (including trevally) using a range of fishing methods.
Tuna fisheries in Marshall Islands
The Pacific is home to the world's largest tuna fishery, with member countries' EEZs producing over half of the global tuna catch. Marshall Islands's EEZ covers 1,990,530 km², providing significant access to tuna and other oceanic resources.
Fisheries Contributions to Marshall Islands's Economy
Harvest by sector (1999 → 2021)
Volume and economic value of fisheries production by sector, from successive Benefish studies. Use the toggle to switch between volume (tonnes) and value (US$).
Fishing contribution to GDP
Official contribution of fishing (and aquaculture, where included) to Marshall Islands's GDP, in US$ (millions). The line shows the percentage of total GDP.
Key findings from Benefish Study 4
10.2 Contribution of fishing to GDP
Current official contribution The Marshall Islands financial year (FY) 2021 Statistical Compendium (Graduate School 2021b), which contains the national accounts, was prepared by the Graduate School USA, Pacific Islands Training Initiative, Honolulu, Hawaii, in collaboration with the Economic Planning Policy and Statistics Office (EPPSO) of Marshall Islands. It was prepared under a contract with the United States Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
10.3 Exports of fishery production
The Marshall Islands FY 2021 Statistical Compendium (Graduate School 2022) gives the fish exports of Marshall Islands (Table 10-8). FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 Exports of goods 61.9 64.3 64.1 71.6 108.7 Exports of fish 38.3 38.0 42.3 55.5 85.0 Fish as a % of all exports 61.9% 59.1% 66.0% 77.5% 78.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
10.4 Government revenue from fisheries
In Marshall Islands there are two ways of dealing with revenue from fisheries: • The money that MIMRA receives from its activities, which include vessel day scheme (VDS) revenue, fishing rights, licensing/registration, observer fees, transshipment fees, fishing violations, boat charter fees and other. • The money that MIMRA contributes to the Marshall Islands government (i.e. the amount in the above point, less the cost of operating MIMRA).
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
10.5 Fisheries-related employment
There is no comprehensive source of fisheries-related employment in Marshall Islands. What exists is an assortment of information from the various fisheries sub-sectors in the country. In an analysis of the purse seine tuna fishery value chain in Marshall Islands (Macfadyen et al. 2021), there is a good description of the employment situation in the country and its fisheries component (Box 10-1).
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
10.6 Fish consumption
The historical studies of fish consumption in Marshall Islands have been: • A Japan International Cooperation Agency report ( JICA 1983) states that the annual consumption of fish per capita on Majuro in the early 1980s was: local fish, 22.8 kg; canned fish, 8.6 kg; imported frozen fish, 0.3 kg; indicating a total of 31.7 kg. • Johns Hopkins (1992) gave the frequency of eating eight categories of fishery foods in 75 households.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
Marshall Islands — country resources
Direct access to country-specific chapters, regional report cards and economic studies.