U.S. seafood landings reach 17-year high in 2011
Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska and New Bedford, Mass. remain top fishing
ports
September 19, 2012
<http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2012/images/dutch_habor_91912.jpg>
Dutch Harbor, the top port with the highest volume of catch this year.
Dutch Harbor, the top port with the highest volume of catch this year.
High resolution
<http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2012/images/dutch_habor_91912.jpg>
(Credit: NOAA)
U.S seafood landings reached a 17-year high in 2011, thanks in part to
rebuilding fish populations, and the value of landings also increased,
according to a new report released today by NOAA.
According to the report, Fisheries of the United States 2011
<http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st1/fus/fus11/index.html> , U.S. commercial
fishermen landed 10.1 billion pounds of fish and shellfish in 2011, valued
at $5.3 billion, an increase over 2010 of 1.9 billion pounds and more than
$784 million. Much of the increase is due to higher catches of Gulf
menhaden, Alaska pollock, and Pacific hake, also known as whiting.
"Commercial and recreational fishing are integral to the nation's social and
economic fabric," said Sam Rauch, deputy assistant NOAA administrator for
NOAA <http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/> 's Fisheries Service. "To see landings and
value climb again this year shows we're moving in the right direction and
that the fishing industry is strengthening as fish populations rebuild. Our
goal is to support a thriving, sustainable seafood industry that is
competitive in the global marketplace, and to enjoy the benefits of
recreational fishing in our own waters."
More than 10 million recreational saltwater anglers in the United States
took 69 million marine fishing trips in 2011 and caught 345 million fish,
releasing nearly 60 percent of them alive. Spotted sea trout remained the
top catch for recreational anglers, with 41 million caught in 2011. Atlantic
croaker, sand sea trout, spot, and kingfishes were the other most common
catches for saltwater anglers last year.
<http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2012/images/pollock1.jpg> Alaskan
pollock.
Alaskan pollock.
High resolution
<http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2012/images/pollock1.jpg> (Credit:
NOAA)
Today's report shows that the Alaska port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska led the
nation with the highest amount of fish landed - primarily pollock - for the
15th consecutive year. For the 12th consecutive year, New Bedford, Mass. had
the highest valued catch, due mostly to the sea scallop fishery. However,
scallops are a bright spot in New England fishery: despite fishermen staying
within catch limits, several key groundfish stocks have declined
unexpectedly, leading the Department of Commerce to declare a disaster
<http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2012/09/09_13_12disaster_determinati...
ml> for groundfish fishermen on Sept. 13. Similar announcements were made
that day for chinook salmon in Alaska's Yukon and Kuskokwin rivers and Cook
Inlet, and for the oyster and blue crab fisheries in Mississippi.
Catches throughout the Gulf of Mexico rebounded in 2011 to the highest
volume since 1999, following a curtailed 2010 season due to the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill. The full fishing season in 2011 produced commercial
landings <http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st1/commercial/index.html> of Gulf
menhaden that were 66 percent higher than 2010 landings, with Gulf fishermen
bringing in more than 1.6 billion pounds of menhaden valued at $110 million.
Gulf shrimp landings rose 20 percent, from 176 million pounds valued at $338
million in 2010 to 212 million pounds valued at $418 million in 2011.
The report also shows that the average American ate 15 pounds of fish and
shellfish in 2011, less than the 2010 figure of 15.8 pounds. Altogether,
Americans consumed 4.7 billion pounds of seafood, making the U.S. second
only to China in seafood consumption.
Gulf of Mexico menhaden.
Gulf of Mexico menhaden. (Credit: NOAA)
In 2011, about 91 percent of seafood consumed in the U.S. was imported, up
five percent from 2010. However, a portion of this imported seafood is
caught by American fishermen, exported overseas for processing and then
re-imported to the U.S. The top three imports are shrimp, canned tuna, and
tilapia fillet.
Almost half of imported seafood comes from aquaculture, or farmed seafood.
America's aquaculture industry currently meets less than five percent of
U.S. seafood demand, producing primarily oysters, clams, mussels, and some
finfish, including salmon.
"By promoting sustainable domestic aquaculture to complement rebuilt wild
fisheries, we can create more jobs and provide additional local sources of
seafood that meet the highest standards for environmental protection and
food safety," said Rauch.
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