REVIEW 



U.S. LANDINGS . Commercial landings (edible and 

 industrial) by U.S. fishermen at ports in the 50 states 

 were 9.6 billion pounds or 4.3 million metric tons 

 valued at a record $3.5 billion in 1996-a decrease of 

 222.7 million pounds (down 2 percent), and $248.9 

 million (down 7 percent) compared with 1995. The 

 1996 landings showed a decrease in major species 

 such as Pacific hake, menhaden, pollock, pink and 

 red salmon, and Pacific sardine when compared 

 with 1995. The 1996 average exvessel price per 

 pound paid to fishermen was 36 cents compared to 

 the 38 cents they received in 1995. Finfish 



accounted for 86 percent of total landings, but only 

 51 percent of the total value. 



Commercial landings by U.S. fishermen at 

 ports outside the 50 states or transferred to internal 

 water processing vessels (IWPs) were an additional 

 404.5 million pounds (183,500 metric tons) valued at 

 $1 59.4 million. This was a 1 1 percent, or 47.7 million 

 pounds (21 ,600 metric ton) decrease in quantity and 

 a $16.9 million (9 percent) decrease in value 

 compared with 1995. Most of these landings 

 consisted of halibut landings in Canada, tuna 

 landed in Puerto Rico, American Samoa and other 

 foreign ports, and IWP transfers of sea herring. 



Edible fish and shellfish landings in the 50 

 states were 7.5 billion pounds (3.4 million metric tons) 

 in 1996-a decrease of 192 million pounds (87,100 

 metric tons) compared with 1995. 



Landings for reduction and other industrial 

 purposes were 2.1 billion pounds (948,000 metric 

 tons) in 1 996--a decrease of 1 percent compared 

 with 1995. 



The 1996 U.S. marine recreational finfish 

 catch (including fish caught and released alive) on 

 the Atlantic, Gutf, and Pacific coasts was an 

 estimated 313.8 million fish taken on an estimated 

 64.2 million fishing trips. The harvest (fish kept) was 

 estimated at 146.0 million fish weighing 208.3 million 

 pounds. 



WORLD LANDINGS . In 1995, the most recent year for 

 which data are available, world commercial fishery 

 landings were 1 12.9 million metric tons-an increase 

 of 2.4 million metric tons (up 2 percent) compared 

 with 1994. 



China was the leading nation with 21.6 

 percent of the total catch; Peru, second with 7.9 

 percent; Chile, third with 6.7 percent; Japan, fourth 

 with 6.0 percent; and United States, fifth with 5.0 

 percent. 



EBJCfS The 1996 annual exvessel price index for 

 edible fish and shellfish decreased 15 percent from 

 1995. The annual index for industrial fish remained 

 the same compared with 1995. Exvessel price 

 indices decreased for 22 of the 32 species groups 

 being tracked, increased for 9 species groups and 

 stayed constant for only 1 species groups. The 

 bluefin tuna price index had the largest decrease 

 (76 percent) while the hard clams price index had 

 the largest increase (31 percent). 



PROCESSED PRODUCTS . The estimated value of the 

 1996 domestic production of edible and nonedible 

 fishery products was $7.4 billion, $131.3 million (2 

 percent) less than the $7.5 billion in 1995. The value 

 of edible products was $6.6 billion— a decrease of 

 $224.7 million (5 percent) compared with 1995. The 

 value of industrial products was $782.8 million in 

 1996~an increase of $193.4 million (33 percent) 

 compared with 1995. 



FOREIGN TRADE . The total import value of edible 

 and nonedible fishery products was $13.1 billion in 

 1996--an increase of $608.7 million (5 percent) 

 compared with 1995. Imports of edible fishery 

 products (product weight) were 3.2 billion pounds 

 (1 .4 million metric tons) valued at $6.7 billion in 1996- 

 an increase of 103.3 million pounds (3 percent), but 

 a decrease of 62.1 million (1 percent) compared with 

 1995. Imports of nonedible (i.e., industrial) products 

 were $6.3 billion— an increase of $670.8 million (11 

 percent) compared with 1995. 



