Source: Stats NZ Integrated Data Infrastructure
15,951 individuals worked in the Seafood industries across 2021, with 23% of these being either employers or self-employed. The total number of people working in Seafood industries decreased between 2019 and 2021. About half of the people working in Seafood industries work in Seafood Processing, around one third worked in Fishing industries, 8% worked in Fish and Seafood Wholesaling and 6% worked in Aquaculture.
The Line Fishing, Other Fishing and Rock Lobster and Crab Potting industries had a relatively high proportion of workers who were self-employed or employers.
The Seafood industry group covers a range of industries and workforces, which have different age, ethnic, region and gender profiles. The average age of the workforce is similar to the average across all Muka Tangata industries. The percentage of females in the workforce is slightly lower than the average across all Muka Tangata industries, with a slightly higher percentage of females and people under 45 years of age in Seafood Processing.
Māori make up a relatively large part of the Seafood workforce compared to most other Muka Tangata industries, with the number of people who identify as Asian and Pacific peoples increasing slightly over time.
Across 2021 and 2022, the monthly employee count in the Seafood industries declined slightly. In 2022, the monthly count averaged around 9,500 employees, marking a decrease from the previously stable figure of 10,000 employees. Since 2019, there has been a downward trend in employee counts for the Seafood Processing industry, while Aquaculture industries have experienced an upward trajectory. The monthly employment counts for the Fish and Seafood Wholesaling industry have remained stable since 2020, following a decline from 2018.