Fresh Fish and Shellfish Availability Increasing for Consumers

(WASHINGTON, DC) Low in calories and saturated fat, and rich in omega-3 fatty acids, seafood is a nutrient-dense source of dietary protein. In 2016, 15 pounds per person of seafood products were available for consumption in the United States, an increase from 11.7 pounds per person 40 years ago. The category with the greatest availability was fresh and frozen fish at six pounds per person, followed by fresh and frozen shellfish at five pounds per person, which more than doubled since 1970. These two seafood categories together accounted for 76 percent of fishery product availability in 2016. Fresh and frozen shellfish availability has steadily increased over the past four and a half decades, surpassing canned tuna in 1991. The third highest seafood product, canned tuna, fell to two pounds per person in 2016 after reaching a high of almost four pounds in 1989.