NOAA 2002-103
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Susan Buchanan
8 /13/02		 NOAA News Releases 2002
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DUTCH HARBOR-UNALASKA AND NEW BEDFORD LAND TITLES OF NATION'S TOP FISHING PORTS FOR 2001

Commercial fishermen brought 834.5 million pounds of fish to the port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska, in 2001, making it the port with the highest volume of fish landings in the country. New Bedford, Mass., claimed the top spot in the country for landing value at its port with $150.5 million. The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the figures today.

The port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska netted the top landings slot for the 13th continuous year according to NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service. The port recorded an increase of 134.7 million pounds over 2000 landings. Reedville, Va., was ranked as the number two port for the quantity of landings in 2001 with 488 million pounds landed.

The value of landings at New Bedford was $150.5 million, an increase of $4.2 million from the 2000 value. Dutch Harbor-Unalaska was second with landings valued at $129.4 million - an increase of $4.5 million. The Kodiak, Alaska, catch value was third at $74.4 million in 2000.

The continuing increase in value of New Bedford landings for the second year was due to sea scallops holding steady ($81.9 million in 2001 compared with $83 million in 2000) and an increase in landings of Atlantic cod, yellowtail and winter flounder due to improving groundfish stocks. New Bedford returned to the top value port last year, after a nine year absence that was in part caused by widespread depletion of the New England groundfish fishery and declining numbers of sea scallops.

The large-landings value increase in 2001 at Dutch Harbor-Unalaska came from increased groundfish catch from the Bearing Sea/Aleutian Islands and the Gulf of Alaska.

The record landings for quantity was 848.2 million pounds in Los Angeles, Calif., in 1960 and the record for value was $224.1 million in Dutch Harbor-Unalaska in 1994.

The top 10 leading U.S. ports in volume and value of fish and shellfish landed in 2000 and 2001 are:

COMMERCIAL FISHERY LANDINGS AT MAJOR US. PORTS, 2000-2001

Figures in Million Pounds
Port
Quantity
 
2000
2001
Dutch Harbor—Unalaska, Alaska
699.8
834.5
Reedville, Va.
366.8
488.0
Empire—Venice, La.
396.2
370.7
Cameron, La.
414.5
324.1
Intercoastal, La.
321.7
303.6
Kodiak, Alaska
289.6
285.5
Los Angeles, Calf.
254.7
219.1
Pascagoula—Moss Point, Miss.
199.9
196.0
New Bedford, Mass.
89.0
106.9
Port Heuneme—Oxnard—Ventura, Calf.
162.2
104.8

 

COMMERCIAL FISHERY VALUE AT MAJOR US. PORTS, 2000-2001
Figures in Million Dollars
Port
Quantity
 
2000
2001
New Bedford, Mass.
146.3
150.5
Dutch Harbor—Unalaska, Alaska
124.9
129.4
Kodiak, Alaska
94.7
74.4
Dulac—Chauvin, La.
68.1
60.9
Brownsville, Port Isabel, Texas
88.6
59.8
Empire—Venice, La.
61.6
59.1
Hampton Roads Area, Va.
52.8
56.8
Honolulu, Hawaii
56.0
40.0
Key West, Fla.
50.6
40.0
Bayou La Barte, La.
48.9
38.9

Note: To avoid disclosure of private enterprise certain ports have not been included. A complete list of commercial fishery landings and value at 50 major U.S. ports for 2000 - 2001 is available on the internet at http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/publications.html.

NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation's living marine resources through scientific research, management, enforcement, and the conservation of marine mammals and other protected marine species and their habitat.

To learn more about NOAA Fisheries, please visit http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov.