Fresh Seafood

The value of wild caught and farmed seafood harvested from the world's oceans each year is around $65 billion U.S. dollars.

In 2006, Americans consumed 4.4 pounds of shrimp, per capita.

The United States imported 1.23 billion pounds of shrimp in 2007, a 5.7 percent decline from 2006.

Shrimp has been America's favorite seafood since 2001.

Oysters are prized worldwide for their delicate flavor and the pearls they produce. Eaten raw on the half shell, steamed, single fried, in stew, stuffing or any number of other dishes, oysters are among the favorite seafood dishes. Oysters grow in coastal areas, and are an important part of the ecosystem. They take well to aquaculture and are farmed for both food and pearls.

"Americans are eating an average of 16 pounds of seafood a year--that's a lot of fish," said Jim Balsiger, acting NOAA assistant administrator for NOAA's Fisheries Service. " In 2008, Americans ate 16.3 pounds of seafood on average.

Americans now spend over $50 billion a year for fishery products, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The National Restaurant Association reported that Americans spent 48 percent of their food budget eating out nearly six times each week in 2008.

Top seafood eaten by Americans include shrimp, canned tuna, pollock and tilapia.

Shrimp has been America's favorite seafood since 2001. In 2006, Americans consumed 4.4 pounds of shrimp, per capita.

The United States imported 1.23 billion pounds of shrimp in 2007, a 5.7 percent decline from 2006. Roughly 90 percent of the U.S. shrimp supply is imported.

The USA imports roughly 83 percent of its seafood.

Seafood is generally low in fat, high in protein and nutrients, and high in Omega 3.

Fresh seafood is something everyone seems to enjoy. The lens is all about seafood, including fish, crabs, shrimp, lobsters, clams, oysters, scallops, mussels and more. Got favorite a recipe, article or seafood website? Submit it to
Fresh Seafood.

Dr Somerset, Senior Lecturer in Human Nutrition at Griffith University, has been studying the role of seafood in meeting the latest guidelines on healthy eating from the Australian Government's National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

"The health benefits of seafood are well established and internationally-recognised, particularly in relation to heart health," Dr Somerset said. "A switch to seafood and away from other less nutritionally valuable foods could significantly extend lifespan and quality of life for many Australians."

Dr Somerset recommended eating a variety of fish and other seafood at least twice a week, and, ideally, four times a week or more.

He also recommended portions of 200 to 250 grams rather than the standard portion of 150 grams.

"Eating fish or other seafood twice a week should be the minimum consumption level simply to avoid deficiencies in essential nutrients such as Omega-3 fat and iodine," Dr Somerset said.

"However, to achieve optimum nutrition, I would recommend at least four meals per week of 200 to 250-gram portions of fish or other seafood. This is achievable, considering there are 21 meal opportunities every week.

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The average American ate 16.3 pounds of fish and shellfish in 2007, a one percent decline from the 2006 consumption figures of 16.5 pounds, according to a study by NOAA Fisheries Service. Americans consumed a total of 4.908 billion pounds of seafood in 2007, slightly less than the 4.944 billion pounds in 2006. The U.S. continues to be ranked the third largest consumer of fish and shellfish, behind China and Japan. Shrimp remained the top choice for seafood in the United States at 4.1 pounds per person, a slight decline of 0.3 pounds from 2006. Of the total of 16.3 pounds consumed per person, Americans ate 12.1 pounds of fresh and frozen finfish and shellfish, down 0.2 pounds from 2006. Canned seafood, primarily canned tuna, remained at 3.9 pounds per person. Americans consumed five pounds of fillets and steaks, down 0.2 pounds from 2006. These include Alaskan pollock, salmon, flounders, and cods. The remaining 0.3 pounds is cured seafood such as smoked salmon and dried cod.

The nation imports about 84 percent of its seafood, a steadily increasing proportion. Imports accounted for only 63 percent of U.S. seafood just a decade ago. "While NOAA works to end overfishing and rebuild wild fish stocks, the U.S. also needs more sustainable domestic aquaculture to help meet consumer demand for healthy seafood and narrow the foreign trade gap," said Jim Balsiger, acting assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries Service. "The National Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2007, pending before Congress, would provide a clear permitting process for businesses and individuals to develop safe, sustainable aquaculture in U.S. federal waters."

At least half of the seafood imported to the U.S. is farmed. Aquaculture production in the rest of the world has expanded dramatically in the last 30 years and now supplies half of the world seafood demand, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. America's aquaculture industry, though vibrant and diverse, currently meets only 5 to 7 percent of U.S. demand for seafood. Most of that is catfish. Marine products such as U.S. farmed oysters, clams, mussels and salmon supplies 1.5 percent of American seafood demand.

For additional information, please contact Monica Allen, telephone (301) 713-2370.

Swordfish is delicious. The meat is tender, white and has a distinctive flavor, similar to wahoo.

photo credit: www.fresh-seafood.net

The Dungeness Crab is named for the town of Dungeness, Washington, now called Old Town Dungeness, where the first commercial harvesting of the crab was done. The Dungeness Crab is the only important crab harvested in the state of Washington's territorial waters and was the first crab that was caught commercially along the Pacific Northwest Coast of the USA and Canada.