New Zealand’s seafood industry

As a small nation surrounded by water it’s not surprising that seafood is a huge part of our culture, economy and diet.

New Zealand controls the world’s fourth largest coastal fishing zone and produces about one percent of the world’s total fish catch so it has an important role in New Zealand’s economy.

It’s estimated that more than 20,000 New Zealanders are employed directly and indirectly in the seafood industry in a coastal fishing zone that spans 2.2 millions square kilometres. Around 650,000 tonnes of seafood are harvested from New Zealand’s coastal waters each year.

Jobs within it are exciting and diverse, covering a broad spectrum of skills that range from land-based scientific and technical roles, to hands-on jobs on vessels at sea.

Check out these great videos on You Tube for a real-life view of what it’s like to work in our industry

There are other videos about the different kinds of jobs in the industry on our Careers pages.

You can find more information about New Zealand’s seafood industry on the New Zealand Seafood Industry Council website.