According to a study conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (N.O.A.A.) the seafood consumption was down slightly in 2007 as the average American ate 16.3 lbs of fish and shellfish, which was down 1 percent from the previous year. In the study it is mention that the Americans as a whole consumed 4.908 billion lbs of seafood in 2007, which was down slightly from 4.944 in 2006.
Americans prefer shrimp as the second most popular seafood choice with the average person eating 4.1 lbs, down slightly from 2006 levels. As far as the consumption of fish and shellfish is concern the United States is ranked the third after China and Japan coming in first and second respectively. It is reported that the U.S. imports about 84 percent of its seafood, but a decade ago the country only imported about 63 percent.
Jim Balsiger, acting N.O.A.A. assistant administrator for the N.O.A.A.’s Fisheries Service, informed that NOAA is working to end overfishing and rebuild wild fish stocks, the U.S. also needs more sustainable domestic aquaculture to help meet consumer demand for healthy seafood and narrow the foreign trade gap. He also states that the National Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2007, pending before Congress, would help to develop safe, sustainable aquaculture in US waters.
