American commercial fishermen landed slightly more seafood in 2013 compared to 2012, according to new data from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The annual Fisheries of the U.S. report shows fishermen landed 9.9 billion pounds of seafood valued at USD 5.5 billion (EUR 4.3 billion). That’s 2.5 percent more landed and 7.6 percent higher revenue than for 2012.
Recreational catches also went up in 2013, with 380 million fish. According to NOAA, 61 percent of those fish were released.
Seafood consumption has not changed, with Americans eating 14.5 billion pounds of seafood in 2013, roughly the same as for 2012. That places the United States third behind China and Japan in the list of largest seafood consumers.
For the first time this year, the 2013 report also includes aquaculture, valuing total American marine and freshwater production at USD 1.2 billion (EUR 940.8 million).
