NOAA Releases Fisheries Report Card for 2011-U.S. Landings Are Highest in Nearly Two Decades

On September 19, NOAA released the Statistical Report Card for United States Fisheries in 2011.  The report contains data regarding both recreational and commercial fisheries.

According to NOAA, the following are the report highlights:

Dutch Harbor, Alaska was the number one fishing port in the U.S. for the 15th consecutive year. Photo credit: NOAA.

Commercial Fisheries

• U.S. commercial fishermen landed over 10 billion pounds of seafood
• The 2011 total landings for commercial fisheries were the highest since 1994
• The top fishing ports are Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska (706 million pounds) and Newbedford, Massachusetts (117 million pounds)

Recreational Fisheries

• There are nearly 10 million saltwater recreational fishermen
• In 69 million trips, they caught 345 million fish
• They released almost 60 percent of the fish they caught

Consumers

• Americans consumed 4.7 billion pounds of seafood
• The U.S. is second only to China in terms of consumption
• The average American ate 15 pounds of fish and shellfish
• 91 percent of seafood consumed in the U.S. was imported (half of which comes from aquaculture)

Top Species Landed in 2011 (by volume)

Alaskan Pollock. Pollock was the number one species caught in 2011. Photo credit: NOAA.

1. Pollock
2. Menhaden
3. Salmon
4. Flatfish
5. Cod
6. Hakes
7. Crabs
8. Squid
9. Shrimp
10. Herring

For more seafood facts, check out NOAA’s FishWatch.

Copyright © 2012 by Marine Science Today, a publication of Marine Science Today LLC.