A slight uptick on overall seafood consumption in 2013, one-tenth of a pound per capita, can be seen in the Commerce Department’s latest data, used to calculate the National Fisheries Institute’s (NFI) annual Top Ten list.
While there is not much movement in terms of rankings, said NFI, 60 percent of the species saw an increase in consumption.
“The U.S. is a huge market for seafood, but per capita consumption is much lower here than in other developed countries,” said NFI President John Connelly. “This report is a good reminder that public health professionals and the government must seize momentum and re-energize efforts to promote important nutritional benefits associated with seafood.”
The top 10 list is as follows, with ranking and pounds consumed per capita:
| 1. | Shrimp | 3.600 |
| 2. | Salmon | 2.702 |
| 3. | Tuna | 2.300 |
| 4. | Tilapia | 1.430 |
| 5. | Alaska pollock | 1.154 |
6. | Pangasius | 0.771 |
| 7. | Cod | 0.605 |
| 8. | Catfish | 0.566 |
| 9. | Crab | 0.548 |
| 10. | Clams | 0.47 |
| Total | 14.5 |
The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans list seafood as a food to encourage, specifically suggesting consumers swap out higher fat proteins for fish.
The Top 10 make up almost 97 percent of all the seafood Americans eat. Experts say the bump in salmon may be a reflection of record runs of Alaska salmon in 2013 that contributed to increased canned and frozen supplies.
