U.S. per-capita seafood consumption totaled 15.8 pounds last year, according to figures the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released on Friday. That’s down from 16 pounds in 2008 and the lowest amount since 2002’s 15.6 pounds.
According to NOAA’s Fisheries of the United States 2009 report, Americans spent USD 75.5 billion on seafood last year — USD 50.3 billion at foodservice and USD 23.8 billion at retail, with industrial seafood products representing USD 1.4 billion.
In 2008, Americans dished out USD 69.8 billion on seafood — USD 46.8 billion at foodservice and USD 22.7 billion at retail, with industrial seafood products accounting for USD 389.4 million.
Last year’s U.S. seafood landings reached 7.9 billion pounds valued at USD 3.9 billion, down 6 percent and 11 percent, respectively, from 2008.
Once again, Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska, was the nation’s No. 1 fishing port in terms of volume at 506.3 million pounds, while New Bedford, Mass., was the No. 1 fishing port in terms of value at USD 249.2 million.
U.S. imports of edible seafood products amounted to 5.2 billion pounds valued at USD 13.1 billion in 2009, down 64.4 million pounds and USD 1 billion from 2008.
U.S. exports of edible seafood products came to 2.5 billion pounds valued at USD 4 billion in 2009, down 103.8 million pounds and USD 277.1 million from 2008.
