DUTCH HARBOR-UNALASKA, ALASKA AND NEW BEDFORD, MASS.,
REMAIN TOP U.S. FISHING PORTS FOR 2005

Commercial fishermen unloaded 887.6 million pounds of fish and shellfish in 2005 at the port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska, making it the country’s top port for landings for 17 consecutive years, NOAA Fisheries Service announced today. This represents a 1.2 million pound increase in landings over 2004.

The total domestic commercial landings for 2005 were 9.6 billion pounds, valued at $3.9 billion.

Reedville, Va., slipped into the number three position with 373.4 million pounds, down from 400.5 million pounds in 2004. Intracoastal City, La., jumped from fifth to the number two position with 464 million pounds in 2005, up from 301.8 million pounds in 2004. Cameron, La., dropped off the top 10 list to rank 50th, or last place, with landings declining from 243.1 million pounds in 2004 to 10.6 million pounds in 2005. The port in Los Angeles is new to the top 10 list, ranking 9th with 139.2 million pounds.

The port of New Bedford, Mass., once again claimed the top spot for value of landings, setting a new record at $282.5 million – an increase of $75 million from 2004. The last record high value was set by Dutch Harbor-Unalaksa in 1994 at $224 million. This was the sixth year in a row that the dollar value of landings at New Bedford increased. Dutch Harbor-Unalaska was ranked second in value of landings at $166.1 million.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is celebrating 200 years of science and service to the nation. From the establishment of the Survey of the Coast in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson to the formation of the Weather Bureau and the Commission of Fish and Fisheries in the 1870s, much of America's scientific heritage is rooted in NOAA.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 60 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.

NOAA Fisheries: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov

TOP COMMERCIAL LANDINGS AT MAOR U.S. PORTS, 2004-2005
Figures in Millions of Pounds
Port	Quantity
	2004	2005
Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska	886.4	887.6
Intracoastal City, La.	301.8	464.0
Reedville, Va.	400.5	373.4
Kodiak, Alaska	317.4	337.2
Empire-Venice, La.	379.0	170.8
Astoria, Ore.	135.8	164.7
Pascagoula-Moss Point. Miss.	162.8	159.1
New Bedford, Mass.	175.1	153.4
Los Angeles, Ca.	92.1	139.2
Gloucester, Mass.	114.1	124.1

 

TOP 10 COMMERCIAL FISHERY VALUES AT MAJOR U.S. PORTS, 2004-2005
Figures in Millions of Dollars
Port	Value
	2004	2005
New Bedford, Mass.	207.7	282.5
Dutch Harvor-Unalaska, Alaska	167.4	166.1
Kodiak, Alaska	94.0	95.8
Hampton Roads Area, Va.	100.8	85.2
Cape May-Wildwood, N.J.	60.2	68.4
Honolulu, Hawaii	45.8	57.2
Dulak-Chauvin, La.	42.8	54.6
Naknek-King Salmon, Alaska	42.5	54.3
Seward, Alaska	43.6	52.2
Cordova, Alaska	31.8	46.5

Note: To Avoid disclosure of private enterprise certain ports have not been included.