U.S. commercial fishermen landed 9.6 billion pounds of fish and shellfish in 2012, valued at $5.1 billion, according to Fisheries of the United States 2012, released by NOAA.
The value and pounds of fish and shellfish caught was higher than the average for the previous ten years of 9.2 billion pounds and $4.1 billion, and slightly lower than the high level of landings and value in 2011.
The Alaska port of Dutch Harbor led the nation with the highest amount of fish landed for the 16th consecutive year. Dutch Harbor fishers landed 752 million pounds, up from 706 million pounds in 2011. The most valuable species for Alaska was walleye pollock.
For the 13th consecutive year, New Bedford, Mass., had the highest valued catch, due mostly to the highly valued sea scallop fishery. Sea scallops accounted for more than 80 percent of the value of New Bedford landings.
Aquaculture operations contributed five percent of seafood production, according to the study. Washington and Maine lead the nation in marine finfish farming, primarily Atlantic salmon. Washington, Virginia and Louisiana lead in shellfish farming, primarily oysters.
According to the report, the average American ate 14.4 pounds of fish and shellfish in 2012, down from the 2011 figure of 15.0 pounds. Altogether, Americans consumed 4.5 billion pounds of seafood in 2012.
For a complete copy of the report online: http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/commercial-fisheries/fus/fus12/index.
source: NOAA Fisheries
This article was originally published to commercial-fishing.org: October 31, 2013.