Country profile
Coastal fisheries snapshot
demersal fish (including emperors, snappers, parrotfish and rabbitfish), invertebrates for export (e.g. sea cucumbers) and gleaned from intertidal habitats (e.g. giant clams), and nearshore pelagic fish (including trevally and barracuda) using a range of fishing methods.
Top 5 training topics
Gender participation
Male participations: 555 (79%) · Female participations: 149 (21%)
Yearly participations (2016–2025)
Projected changes in atmospheric & ocean climate (by 2050)
Relative to 1995-2014 baseline. Regional CMIP6 projections applied to Vanuatu's climate zone (Southwest Pacific Convergence).
Coastal fisheries (current vs 2050)
demersal fish (including emperors, snappers, parrotfish and rabbitfish), invertebrates for export (e.g. sea cucumbers) and gleaned from intertidal habitats (e.g. giant clams), and nearshore pelagic fish (including trevally and barracuda) 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.
freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium spp
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.
Drivers of impact on fish availability by 2050: 29% climate change · 71% population change
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.
are very important for nutrition security and health. Compared to other Pacific islands, projected
Recommended adaptation: Food & nutrition security
- Implement sustainable ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management Food and Nutrition 2
- Manage freshwater and estuarine fisheries to harness opportunities Food and Nutrition 4
- Promote the use of oceanic catches to fill the gap in aquatic resources needed for food and nutrition security
- 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 5
Recommended adaptation: Economies & government revenue
- Implement energy efficiency programs for fisheries and aquaculture Economic Revenue 4
- Climate-proof infrastructure
Community-based Fisheries Management — Vanuatu
Source: Govan & Lalavanua 2022 (SPC), updated from FAO & SPC Outlook 2026. See the regional CBFM Report for full analysis.
Coastal fisheries in Vanuatu
demersal fish (including emperors, snappers, parrotfish and rabbitfish), invertebrates for export (e.g. sea cucumbers) and gleaned from intertidal habitats (e.g. giant clams), and nearshore pelagic fish (including trevally and barracuda) using a range of fishing methods.
Tuna fisheries in Vanuatu
The Pacific is home to the world's largest tuna fishery, with member countries' EEZs producing over half of the global tuna catch. Vanuatu's EEZ covers 663,251 km², providing significant access to tuna and other oceanic resources.
Fisheries Contributions to Vanuatu'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 (VT).
Fishing contribution to GDP
Official contribution of fishing (and aquaculture, where included) to Vanuatu's GDP, in US$ (units). The line shows the percentage of total GDP.
Key findings from Benefish Study 4
19.2 Contribution of fishing to GDP
Current official contribution The national accounts are compiled and published by the Vanuatu National Statistics Office (VNSO). VNSO (2022b) gives the nominal and relative contributions of fishing to GDP (Table 19-3). Fishing contribution (VT millions) 420 438 438 537 546 598 689 Vanuatu GDP (VT millions) 74,970 79,657 84,707 94,887 100,771 107,450 104,929 Fishing as a % of GDP 0.56% 0.55% 0.52% 0.57% 0.54% 0.56% 0.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
19.3 Exports of fishery production
The Merchandise Trade Statistics (VNSO 2022a) give the principal exports of Vanuatu. The fisheries-relevant parts are extracted and given in Table 19-5. Shells Live fish Fish Total fisheries Total exports Fisheries as % of total exports 2017 5 53 26 84 5,909 1.4% 2018 0 6 0 6 4,842 0.1% 2019 16 0 33 49 5,231 0.9% 2020 11 0 191 202 4,650 4.3% 2021 0 0 199 199 5,646 3.5% Other aspects of the fishery exports of Vanuatu are: • Gillett et al.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
19.4 Government revenue from fisheries
Access fees for offshore fishing Unpublished data from the Vanuatu Fisheries Department indicates that Vanuatu received: • In 2020, US$1,980,000 as payment for "Foreign fishing license" • In 2021, US$1,073,000 as payment for "Foreign fishing license" • In 2020, US$120,000 as payment for "Locally-based foreign fishing license" • In 2021, US$180,000 as payment for "Locally-based foreign fishing license" The total amount for 2021 was therefore US$1,253,000 (approximately 141.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
19.5 Fisheries-related employment
In the 2020 National Population and Housing Census (VNSO 2021c), most data relevant to fisheries is aggregated into the category "agricultural, forestry and fishery", reducing its utility for fisheries purposes. It does contain the interesting fact that of the 63,365 households in the country, 39.8% are engaged in fishing, with 10.7% in urban areas and 48.6% in rural areas.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
19.6 Fish consumption
Information from the early studies of fishery resource consumption in Vanuatu shows: • Preston (1996b) estimates annual per capita fish supply from coastal fisheries in Vanuatu of 15.9 kg. • Preston (2000), using 1995 FAO data and considering production, imports and exports, estimates annual per capita supply of fishery products of 21.0 kg.
Full chapter section in Benefish Study 4 →
Vanuatu — country resources
Direct access to country-specific chapters, regional report cards and economic studies.