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Current Fishery Statistics No. 8385

Fisheries

of the

United States,

1986

Supplemental

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April/|987

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service

LETTER FROM

ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR:

The fisheries of the United States represent a
vast renewable natural resource providing the
people of this nation with food, income, em-
ployment, and recreation. These marine fish-
eries resources, for which the U.S. Depart-
ment of Commerce through the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) holds stewardship, comprise the larg-
est, most varied and valuable fisheries re-
source in the world. It includes perhaps one-
fifth of all the traditionally marketed fish and
shellfish in the ocean and about 90 thousand
miles of tidal shoreline offering numerous and
varied recreational opportunities. The com-
mercial and recreational segments of the U.S.
fishing industry involve substantial numbers
of people, support a large network of busi-
nesses, and produce significant income and
employment.

In 1986, U.S. commercial fishermen landed
6.0 billion pounds of fish and shellfish with a
dockside value of over $2.8 billion dollars.
Marine recreational fisheries annually involve
over 17 million anglers who catch an esti-
mated 699.2 million pounds of fish and con-
tribute over $7.5 billion dollars to the U.S.
economy. These commercial and recreational
values can be multiplied several times in deter-
mining the contribution of fishery landings to
the U.S. economy.

NOAA encourages and assists both segments
of the industry while protecting and enhanc-
ing the resources and their environment.

William E. Evans

NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries

The National Fishery Statistic Program of the National Marine
Fisheries Service maintains a variety of data on U.S. and world
fisheries. This brochure provides a general overview of the size,
scope, and world position of the U.S. fishing industry, and the
U.S. supply and consumption of fishery products.

U.S. Commercial Landings

76 77 78 79 80

Commercial landings by U.S. fishermen in 1986 amounted to
6.0 billion pounds (2.7 million metric tons) of edible and non-
edible fishery resources valued at $2.8 billion. A metric ton is
equal to 2,204.6 pounds. Over 300 species are taken commer-
cially, although many of these species are underutilized by the
U.S. industry and offer significant potential for development.
The "round" weights referred to in the above graph and else-
where in this brochure include the weights of whole fish, but
not the shell weights of shellfish.

Fishermen and Craft

us

Commercial Fishermen

Craft

76 77 78 79

0 81 82 83 84 85
Year

There were an estimated 239,000 men and women engaged in
commercial fishing on a full-time basis utilizing approximately
129,800 fishing craft in 1985, the most recent year for which
such data are available. The fleet consists primarily of boats
under five "gross registered tons" due to the near-water nature
of most of the fisheries. The U.S. commercial industry is char-
acterized by the rather specific nature of the various fisheries,
most of which are carried out in relative isolation from one
another. Lately however, so as to remain economically viable
in today's complex fisheries, there is an increasing trend to-
wards rigging craft to be more easily adaptable to compete in
more than one fishery.

Marine Recreational Anglers.

iS numbered 17 million

iS took 72.4 million fishing trips

iS caught 466.1 million fish

iS weighing 699.2 million pounds

iS spent $7.5 billion

An estimated 17 million marine recreational anglers caught
about 699.2 million pounds (317.2 thousand metric tons) of
finfish on approximately 72.4 million fishing trips in 1986. Ex-
cluding catches of industrial species (such as anchovies and
menhaden) and freshwater fish, the marine recreational catch
comprised an estimated 30 percent of the total U.S. finfish
landings used for food in 1986. For some species, such as blue-
fish amd spotted sea trout, the recreational catch greatly ex-
ceeded the commercial catch. It is estimated that marine recrea-
tional anglers add about $7.5 billion annually to the U.S. econ-
omy through direct and indirect expenditures associated with
fishing (boats, equipment, fuel, tackle, lodging, etc.)

Major Marine
Recreational Species

1986 — Atlantic/Gulf Coasts

Bluefish
Porgies 8 Oo/o

11.0%

1986— Pacific Coast

Rockfishes
18.2%

Recreational Species

The five species most commonly caught by marine recreational
anglers in 1986 were winter black sea bass, Atlantic croaker,
bluefish, scup, and summer flounder. The estimated total ma-
rine recreational finfish catch on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts
was 410.8 million fish. The total catch on the Pacific coast was
estimated to be 55.3 million fish, exclusive of salmon, which
historically has been about two percent of the total Pacific ma-
rine recreational finfish catch.

Major Commercial Species

Shrimp
6.6%
Sea Herring

3.5% Crabs
5.9%

Clams LoAs'ers

In terms of volume, the five major species of fishery resources
caught by commercial fishermen in 1986 were menhaden (an
oily fish used primarily for industrial purposes), salmon, crabs,
shrimp, and sea herring. Shrimp, salmon, crabs, lobsters, and
clams were the top five species in terms of value. Cameron,
Louisiana, with landings of 616.8 million pounds (279.8 thou-
sand metric tons), was the leading port in terms of volume.
New Bedford, Massachusetts, with landings valued at $106.0
million, was the leading port in terms of value.

Catch in the U.S. EEZ

Foreign

Million Metric

Tons

(Round Weight)

81 82
Year

83 84 85 86

In the interest of commercial and recreational fishermen, the
Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976
(MFCMA) was enacted by the Congress to provide a national
focus and effort deemed necessary to protect our fishery re-
sources from overfishing by foreign nations. The MFCMA es-
tablished an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending from
the seaward boundaries of the territorial sea (3 nautical miles
from shore in most cases) to 200 nautical miles from shore. All
fishery resources within the EEZ, except highly migratory spe-
cies of tuna, are subject to management by one or more of the
eight Regional Fishery Management Councils created by the
MFCMA. The Councils analyze scientific data and hold fre-
quent public meetings in the process of developing Fishery
Management Plans (FMP's) for species requiring management.
The FMP's are designed to provide for the optimum utilization
of the resources, while giving preference to U.S. fishermen
over foreign fishermen. As of January 1, 1986, twenty-five
FMP's were fully implemented. A measure of the success of the
MFCMA is the declining foreign catch within the EEZ.

Joint Venture Catch

; . .\

3000

2800

2600

2400

2200

2000

1800

1600

1400

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

0

Million Pounds
(Round Weight)

1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986
Year

Joint Ventures

The MFCMA led to the development of "joint ventures" in
1979, wherein U.S. commercial fishermen catch and sell to for-
eign vessels certain species for which U.S. demand is low rela-
tive to the abundance of the species. United States fishermen
thus derive income from species which would otherwise be un-
derutilized, and also benefit by fuel savings since the catches
are transferred to foreign vessels at sea, eliminating the need to
return to port to unload. "Joint venture" catches of species
such as cods, flounders, and Alaska pollock have grown dra-
matically from 23.3 million pounds (10.6 thousand metric tons)
worth $1 .3 million in 1979 to 2.9 billion pounds (1310.4 thou-
sand metric tons) worth $154.9 million in 1986.

U.S. Supply of
Fishery Products

^^wa fc-y !

1

Total /

Billion Pounds

' (Round Weight) .

U.S. Landings /

- ' 1 '

■

Imports

-

77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85
Year

Despite the generally increasing volume of U.S. commercial
landings over the years, the U.S. has remained a major im-
porter of fishery products, and 1986 imports accounted for
57.8 percent of the total U.S. supply of all fishery products in
terms of a round weight equivalent volume.

Foreign Trade

In terms of value, total fishery imports in 1986 reached a rec-
ord $7.6 billion, while U.S. exports of fishery products were
valued at $1 .4 billion. Historically, the U.S. has run a fishery
trade deficit since 1895. Shrimp imports alone were valued at
$1.4 billion in 1986. Other major items were fresh and frozen
fish fillets, and frozen fish blocks used to produce fish sticks.
Major export items included fresh, frozen, and canned salmon,
as well as various types of fish roe.

Leading Fishing Nations

The U.S. ranked fifth among major fishing nations in 1985, the
most recent year for which comparable data are available. The
"live" weights referred to in the above graph include shell
weights, whereas weights used elsewhere in this brochure do not.

Disposition of Catch:
U.S. and World

The U.S. utilizes a greater percentage of catch for industrial
(non-food) purpose than most other countries, due largely to
the'great abundance of menhaden in the Gulf and Atlantic.
The large difference in that portion of catch which is cured re-
flects the dietetic preferences and lesser availability of refriger-
ation among some foreign nations.

Disposition of Catch

1984

Per Capita Consumption

16

I

14

- Total

12

10

_

8
6

•Pounds

Fresh and Frozen ^--^

Canned

4

^"

2
n

i — r

Cured
— i 1 — —i 1 1 1 1

76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86
Year
Per capita consumption of commercially caught fish and shell-
fish in 1986 was a record 14.7 pounds. Per capita consumption
of fish caught by marine recreational anglers is estimated to be
between three and four pounds each year. The current empha-
sis on the role of diet in health makes the nutritional qualities
of seafood especially appreciated, since most fish and shellfish
have a low-fat/ high-protein content. Nutritional demands of
consumers, as well as improving methods of catching, han-
dling, and processing seafoods may reasonably be expected to
lead to greater consumption levels in future years. It is esti-
mated that U.S. consumer expenditures for commercial fishery
products exceeded $15 billion in 1986.

Contact the nearest NMFS Regional Office for more informa-
tion about U.S. fisheries, including such NMFS programs as
marketing, consumer services, and voluntary fishery product
inspection. For more information about Regional Fishery
Management Councils, contact the Council nearest you.

NMFS Regional Offices

Northeast Region
Federal Bldg.
14 Elm St.

Goucester, MA 09130
(617)281-3600

Southeast Region

Duval Bldg.

9450 Roger Blvd.

St. Petersburg, FL 33702

(813)893-3141

Southwest Region
300 South Ferry St.
Terminal Island, CA 90731
(213) 514-6196

Northwest Region

7600 Sand Point Way, N.E.

BIN C15700

Seattle, WA 98115

(206) 526-6150

Alaska Region
Federal Bldg.
P.O. Box 1668
709 West Ninth St.
Juneau, AK 99802
(907) 586-7721

Regional Fishery
Management Councils

New England
Suntaug Office Park
5 Broadway (Route 1)
Saugus, MA 01901
(617)231-0422

Mid-Atlantic
Federal Bldg.
Suite 2115
300 S. News St.
Dover, DE 19901
(302) 674-2337

South Atlantic
Southpark Bldg.
Suite 306

1 Southpark Circle
Charleston, SC 29407
(803) 571-4366

Gulf of Mexico
Lincoln Center
Suite 881

5401 W. Kennedy Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33609
(813) 228-2815

Caribbean

Banco de Ponce Bldg.

Suite 1108

Hato Rey, PR 00918

(809) 573-6910

Pacific

2000 S.W. First Ave.
Portland, OR 97201
(503) 221-6352

North Pacific
411 W. Fourth Ave.
P.O. Box 103136 DT
Anchorage, AK 99510
(907) 274-4563

Western Pacific
1164 Bishop St., Suite 1405
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 523-1368

Additional copies of this

publication are available from:

National Fishery Statistics Program (F/S21)

National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA

Washington, D.C. 20235

(202) 673-5335

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