Ready-to-eat canned and processed fish are one of the most popular product categories in the world compared to fresh and frozen fishery and aquaculture products because they are affordable, have a longer shelf life and they make a significant contribution to global food security in both developing and developed countries.

The total international trade in wild seafood and aquaculture products in 2023 is 32 million tons, valued at $171.3 billion. Of this, 10% was canned and processed fish (HS 1604), amounting to 3.2 million tonnes worth $17.54 billion, a share that, on average, has remained stable over the past five years, particularly as global demand increased during the 2019 pandemic.

Canned tuna is the main product category imported globally (43% in 2023), followed by canned sardines, canned mackerel, canned herring and canned salmon.

The main markets for canned and processed fish products include:

Canned tuna: USA, EU, Japan and Australia;

Canned sardines: USA, South Africa, Dominican Republic, France and Malaysia;

Canned mackerel: Japan, USA, Ghana, Thailand and Sri Lanka;

Canned salmon: Germany, Canada, United States, Japan and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;

Processed or grilled eel: Japan, Malaysia, USA, Russia and Korea.