M. Shahbandeh
Research expert covering agriculture & FMCG
Seafood industry - statistics & facts
The seafood industry is comprised of fishing, seafood farming and processing sectors. It can include recreational and commercial fishing activities, though the commercial industry is responsible for catching much more seafood. Worldwide, fish is the most commonly consumed animal protein and the seafood market value is expected to reach about 350 billion U.S. dollars by 2027.
U.S. market
Since 2000, commercial fish and shellfish landings in the U.S. have utilized generally about three to four times more fish and shellfish for human food than for other industrial purposes. Shrimp and salmon generated the most seafood department sales in 2023, followed by crab. In 2021, oysters saw the most growth in sales value. Lobster and halibut also had significant growth in sales value.Seafood consumption
The annual per capita consumption of fish worldwide remained constant for over five years, at about 20 kilograms per consumer, before dropping to 19 kilograms in 2021. In the U.S., consumers are spending up to 337 U.S. dollars on fish annually, with the Southern region of the U.S. spending the most. Consumers are spending the most on cod and scrod, followed by salmon as of 2023. Among frozen seafood products, shrimp is the most popular, with almost 880 million U.S. dollars in sales that year.Environmental impact
As of 2021, over 40 percent of Americans consider sustainability when purchasing seafood. There has been recent controversy surrounding the seafood industry. Natural marine habitats have been seeing the impacts of commercial fishing, such as pollution, shrinking fish populations, and harm to habitats. The growing demand of seafood worldwide is leading many commercial fishing businesses to overfish areas which can cause damage to the sea floor and seriously impact fish populations. In the wake of concerns about the environment and climate change, many individuals and governments are pressuring for policies to reduce the harm caused by the seafood industry.
