The territorial waters of Cuba support more than 500 varieties of edible fish. The catch in 2000 was 56,146 tons, compared with 244,673 tons in 1986. Tuna, lobster, and shellfish are the main species caught. The Cuban Fishing Fleet, a government enterprise, supervises the industry.
The former USSR aided in the construction of a fishing port in Havana to service the Cuban and former-Soviet fleets as well as to process and store fish. Seafood exports are an important source of foreign exchange; in 2000, fish and fish products exports amounted to $78.4 million.
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