Seafood consumption in the U.S. increased 2.3 percent with Americans consuming 4.3 billion pounds of domestic and imported seafood in 2000 - or 15.6 pounds per person, the Commerce Department announced today.

Officials from the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service said that the per capita consumption level of 15.6 pounds per person represents an increase of 0.2 pound from the revised 1999 level.

Of the 15.6 pounds of seafood consumed per person, 10.5 pounds were fresh or frozen fish or shellfish, 4.8 pounds were canned seafood, and 0.3 pounds of seafood was cured. Compared to 1999 figures, that represents a 0.1 pound increase in both the fresh/frozen and canned products.

The consumption of shrimp (all preparation) achieved a record 3.2 pounds consumed per person in 2000. Additional information is contained in an attached fact sheet.

Total U.S. supply of edible fishery products on a "round weight" basis was down 1.9 percent in 2000. While U.S. landings for human consumption increased by 1.2 percent, imported fish and shellfish increased 2.6 percent in 2000, comprising 68 percent of the seafood consumed in the United States. U.S. exports increased by 11.4 percent. Inventories of frozen seafood in cold storage dropped slightly, declining less than 1.0 percent from the 1999 level.

NOAA fisheries is the principal steward of the nation's living marine resources. NOAA fisheries is dedicated to preserving marine resources through scientific research, management, enforcement and conservation.

PER CAPITA U.S. CONSUMPTION Figures in Pounds

Year	Cvilian Resident Population July 1 Million Persons	Fresh and Frozen	Canned	Cured	Total
1996	264.0	10.0	4.5	0.3	14.8
1997	266.4	9.0	4.4	0.3	14.6
1998	269.1	10.2	4.4	0.3	14.9
1999	271.5	10.4	4.7	0.3	5.4
2000	273.9	10.5	4.8	0.3	15.6

U.S. ANNUAL PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION OF CANNED FISHERY PRODUCTS, 1996-2000 Figures in Pounds

Year	Salmon	Sardines	Tuna	Shellfish	Other	Total
1996	0.5	0.2	3.2	0.3	0.3	4.5
1997	0.4	0.2	3.1	0.3	0.4	4.4
1998	0.3	0.2	3.4	0.3	0.2	4.4
1999	0.3	0.2	3.5	0.4	0.3	4.7
2000	0.3	0.2	3.6	0.4	0.3	4.8

U.S. ANNUAL PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION OF CERTAIN FISHERY ITEMS, 1996-2000 Figures in Pounds

Year	Fillets and Steaks (1)	Sticks and Portions	Shrimp All Preparation
1996	3.0	1.0	2.5
1997	3.0	1.0	2.7
1998	3.2	0.9	2.8
1999	3.2	1.0	3.0
2000	3.4	0.9	*3.2

*Record
The NOAA fisheries' calculation of per capita consumption is based on a "disappearance" model. The total U.S. supply of imports and landings is converted to edible weight and decreases in supply such as exports and inventories are subtracted out. The remaining total is divided by a population value to estimate per capita consumption. Data for the model are derived primarily from secondary sources and are subject to incomplete reporting; changes in source data or invalid model assumptions may each have a significant effect on the resulting calculation.