October 4, 2006

 

US aquaculture trade crosses billion-dollar mark

 

 

Sales of US aquaculture products have grown 12 percent in seven years to US$1.1 billion, the National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Monday (Oct 2).

 

Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana, together account for a third of US aquaculture sales.

 

Hawaii, even though with abundant fresh fish supplies surrounding its many islands nevertheless plays a significant role in US aquaculture.

 

Catfish, perch, salmon, hybrid striped bass, tilapia and trout account for nearly two-thirds of all US aquaculture sales.

 

Nearly a-fifth of aquaculture sales in the US comes from mollusks such as abalone, clams, mussels and oysters.

 

Production in Louisiana, the longtime leader in crustacean farming, with 600 operations making US$9 million yearly, has been reduced by hurricanes in 2005.

 

Hawaii is second with 15 operations making US$5.8 million in 2005 sales.

 

In shrimp farming, Texas leads with 14 operations and US$16 million annual sales, while Hawaii is second with 10 operations and US$3 million yearly sales.

 

Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama contribute more than 90 percent of the 396 million catfish farmed in the US every year.

 

The only Pacific threadfin aquaculture operations in the country can also be found in Hawaii, which also has the largest number of food-size tilapia operations. Of the 128 such operations nationwide, 18 are located in the state.