May 13, 2017 — The U.S. seafood industry’s contribution to the nation’s economy slipped in 2015, while Alaska’s output increased slightly and dollar values held steady.
An eagerly anticipated annual report released by the fisheries branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) measures the economic impacts of U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries. It highlights values, jobs, and sales for 2015, along with a 10-year look at comparisons. A second report evaluates the status of U.S. fish stocks for 2016.
The Fisheries Economics Report shows that, including imports, U.S. commercial fishing and the seafood industry generated $144 billion in sales in 2015, a 6 percent decline from the previous year, and supported 1.2 million jobs, a 15 percent decline.
“However, it’s important to consider these figures are still above the five-year average. In fact, 2015 represents the second highest level during that period,” Alan Risenhoover, acting deputy assistant administrator for regulatory programs, said in a May 9 teleconference.
Alaska commercial fishermen landed more than 6 billion pounds of fish and shellfish in 2015, up 6 percent from the prior year — even though the value held steady at nearly $1.7 billion.