November 14, 2005

US 2004 seafood per capita consumption hits record level

US seafood per capita consumption rose for the third straight year at 16.6 pounds of fish and shellfish per capita in 2004, according to the NOAA Fisheries Service.

This figure is up from 16.3 pounds per capita in 2003, a rise of 2 percent. In 2002, it was 15.6 pounds per capita, and in 2001, 14.8 pounds.

Of the total 16.6 pounds of seafood consumed per capita last year, a record 11.8 pounds were fresh and frozen finfish and shellfish, up 0.4 pounds from the previous year. Reflecting an increasing trend towards fresh and frozen seafood consumption, canned seafood consumption dropped 0.1-4.5 pounds per capita.

Five years ago in 2000, Americans consumed 10.2 pounds of fresh and frozen seafood and 4.7 pounds of canned seafood per capita.

Meanwhile, shrimp continued its lead as one of America's favourite seafood: a record 4.2 pounds of shrimp were consumed per capita last year, up 0.2 pounds from 2003.

Another record figure was for fillets and steaks, for which 4.6 pounds per capita were consumed last year, up 0.3 pounds from 2003. Conversely, canned tuna consumption fell 0.1 pounds to 3.3 pounds per capita.

A total of 4.8 billion pounds of seafood consumed in the US in 2004.