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U.S. Fisheries By The Numbers

Status of U.S. Fish Stocks

  • In 2019, due to the combined efforts of NOAA Fisheries, the eight regional fishery management councils, and other partners, two previously overfished stocks were rebuilt and the number of stocks on the overfishing reached an all-time low.
  • At the end of 2019, the overfishing list included 22 stocks and the overfished list included 46 stocks.
  • Since 2000, 47 U.S. federally managed fish stocks have been declared rebuilt.
  • Read more in the annual Status of U.S. Fisheries report.

Fish Landings

  • In 2018, U.S. commercial fishermen landed 9.4 billion pounds of seafood valued at $5.6 billion.

Infographic highlighting 2018 landings and values for U.S. commercial fisheries

  • Of the 2018 U.S. commercial catch, edible products account for 92% of the total value.

Infographic highlighting 2018 value of processed fisheries products

  • The United States produced $1.5 billion worth of aquaculture seafood in 2017, and the top U.S. marine aquaculture species were oysters ($186 million), clams ($129 million), and Atlantic salmon ($61 million).

Infographic highlighting 2017 aquaculture production in the U.S.

  • The United States is the world’s second largest consumer of seafood in the world, eating 5.2 billion pounds in 2018. The average American ate about 16.1 pounds of fish and shellfish, an increase of 0.1 pounds from 2017.
  • Read more in the annual Fisheries of the United States, 2018.

U.S. Fisheries Economics

  • In 2016, U.S. fisheries supported 1.7 million jobs and contributed $212 billion in sales.

Total Sales Generated by U.S. Commercial and Recreational Fishing Industries, 2016: U.S. Total – $212 Billion Sales

Total Jobs Supported by Commercial and Recreational Fishing Industries: U.S. Total – 1.7 Million Jobs

  • In 2016, the commercial fishing and seafood industries supported nearly 1.2 million jobs and generated $144 billion.

U.S. Commercial Fishing & Seafood Industry Economic Impact Trends, 2016: Jobs – 1.19 Million, Income – $39.9 Billion, Sales – $144.3 Billion, Value Added – $60.8 Billion, Revenue – $5.3 Billion