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Fisheries of the United States

Discover the 2023 Fisheries of the United States report with data on U.S. fisheries, aquaculture, seafood trade, and consumption. Explore key highlights or download the full report.

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The Fisheries of the United States report is NOAA Fisheries’ annual snapshot of the nation’s fishing and seafood industries. This comprehensive report provides key data on:

  • Commercial fishery landings and operations
  • Recreational trip and catch data
  • Farmed seafood production and product values
  • Processed fishery products and market values
  • Seafood trade dynamics
  • Seafood consumption

It is one of three annual reports that capture the state of U.S. marine fisheries. The other two are Fisheries Economics of the United States and Status of Stocks. 

With decades of data, Fisheries of the United States highlights trends that inform sustainable fisheries management, support industry stakeholders, and enhance public understanding of the importance of our nation’s living marine resources.

This page provides key highlights from the latest Fisheries of the United States report. The data in this report is preliminary and subject to revision as we get more information from regional partners. For the most up-to-date data, search our online statistics database. 

Commercial Fisheries Landings, Top Ports, and Leading Species

In 2023, U.S. commercial fishermen landed approximately 8.4 million pounds of seafood valued at $5.1 billion. 

Map of the United States showing how commercial seafood landings were distributed across the seven fishery management council regions in 2023. The North Pacific had 62.5% of landings, Gulf of America 15%, Pacific 10.2%, Mid-Atlantic 5.9%, New England 4.9%, South Atlantic 1.2%, and Western Pacific 0.3%.
In 2023, most commercial fisheries landings came from the North Pacific region. This map shows how landings were distributed among the seven fishery management council regions that year. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.

Top Ports 

Ports serve as critical hubs for the U.S. commercial fishing industry. Two ports have consistently led the nation in seafood volume and value for decades:

  • Highest volume: Dutch Harbor, Alaska, maintained its position as the leading U.S. port for seafood volume for the 26th consecutive year
  • Highest value: New Bedford, Massachusetts, ranked first in catch value for the 23nd consecutive year, driven primarily by the sea scallop fishery

Leading Species by Landings Value

In 2023, the top commercial species groups or species by catch value included: 

Recreational Saltwater Fishing Trips and Catch Data

Saltwater fishing is a popular pastime in the United States. It connects millions of anglers with the nation’s marine ecosystems while contributing significantly to local economies and coastal communities.

Angler Participation

In 2023, anglers took more than 204 million saltwater fishing trips to enjoy fishing along U.S. coastlines. Anglers caught an estimated 1.1 billion fish and released 65 percent of their catch.

Map of the United States showing how recreational fishing trips were distributed across seven fishery management council regions in 2023. The South Atlantic accounted for 36.5% of trips, Gulf of America 29.4%, Mid-Atlantic 22.6%, New England 8.1%, Western Pacific 2.1%, Pacific 1%, and North Pacific 0.4%.
In 2023, anglers made 204 million saltwater fishing trips. Most of these trips occurred in the South Atlantic and Gulf of America. This map shows how recreational fishing trips were distributed among the seven fishery management council regions that year. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.

Top Species Caught

Anglers pursued a variety of species in 2023, with some of the most popular catches including:

  • Yellowfin tuna: Top harvested species by weight
  • Scup: Top harvested species by number of fish
  • Atlantic croaker: Top species by total catch, including harvested and released fish

Aquaculture Production and Product Value

Aquaculture, or the farming of fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants, plays a growing role in supporting the U.S. seafood supply and economy. In 2023, marine and freshwater farmers produced an estimated 688 million pounds of seafood valued at $1.3 billion. Because of the aquaculture industry’s focus on high-value products, that total represents 25 percent of the value of U.S. seafood products. 

Top Marine Aquaculture Species

Shellfish species remain a cornerstone of U.S. marine aquaculture production. In 2023, the leading farmed species groups or species were:

Map of the United States showing marine shellfish aquaculture totals by region in 2023. The Atlantic region accounted for 46% of value and 39% of volume, the Gulf of America for 31% of value and 44% of volume, and the Pacific region for 23% of value and 17% of volume.
In 2023, the Atlantic region accounted for the largest share of marine shellfish aquaculture value, while the Gulf of America produced the largest share of volume. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.

Top Processed Fishery Products and Their Market Value

Fishery products fall into two main categories: edible and industrial. Edible products are the seafood you find at the store or on your plate—fresh, frozen, canned, or processed fish and shellfish like shrimp, crab, and fish sticks. Industrial products, on the other hand, aren’t for direct consumption. These include fish meal for animal feed, fish oil for supplements, and even fish-based ingredients in fertilizers, cosmetics, and medicine.

U.S. domestic production of edible fishery products was valued at $12 billion in 2023. Fish industrial fishery products were valued at $745.5 million. 

Top Processed Fishery Species

In 2023, the highest value processed fishery species or species groups were: 

Seafood Imports, Exports, and Top Trading Partners

The United States imported 6.3 billion pounds of edible seafood products in 2023 and exported 2.5 billion pounds. 

Top Trading Partners

The top U.S. trading partners for imports in 2023 were: 

  • Canada
  • Chile
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Ecuador

The top markets for U.S. exports that year were: 

  • Canada
  • China
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Netherlands

U.S. Seafood Consumption and Import Reliance

From fresh filets to canned tuna and shrimp, seafood plays an important role in American diets. In 2023, the per capita consumption of seafood in the United States was 19.1 pounds. We estimate that 80 percent of the seafood Americans ate that year came from foreign imports.

More Information

More Information

Last updated by Office of Science and Technology on 03/03/2026