Fishing is a highly profitable venture throughout the world; the tuna industry alone is worth $6 billion globally. Surveys of Somali waters show that there are significant fish stocks off the coast of Somalia—these waters are in fact considered to be some of the richest fishing grounds in the region. Many profitable species live in the waters off the coast of Somalia, data supported by the Sea Around Us Project, which studies the impact of fisheries on marine ecosystems across the globe.
Among the more commercially valuable fish currently landed in Somali waters through both inshore and offshore fishing are the tropical spiny lobster, swordfish, and multiple species of tuna. Miscellaneous other species are also available, and those varieties combined comprise 81% of Somalia’s annual landings by tonnage, or 61% by value