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Americans ate more seafood in 1994 than in 1993 -- consuming more than 3.93 billion pounds of domestic and imported seafood in 1994, or 15.2 pounds per person. That is an increase of 76 million pounds over the 3.85 billion pounds Americans consumed in 1993, according to statistics compiled by the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Officials from NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service said that the per capita consumption level of 15.2 pounds per person represents a modest increase of 0.2 pounds over the 1993 level. Americans have consumed approximately 15 pounds of seafood each year since 1985, and consumed a record 16.2 pounds each in 1987.
Of the 15.2 pounds of seafood consumed per person, 10.4 pounds were fresh or frozen fish or shellfish, 4.5 pounds were canned seafood, and 0.3 pound of seafood was cured. Compared to 1993 figures, that represents a 0.2 pound rise in both fresh/frozen and canned specialty products, offsetting a 0.2 pound decline of canned tuna.
The consumption of shrimp (all preparation) continues to rise, with 2.6 pounds consumed per person, a record high in 1994. Per capita consumption of shrimp has steadily increased or remained level for the past five years.
Imported fish and shellfish comprised 54 percent of the seafood consumed in the United States in 1994. U.S. exports declined for the second year by one percent.