Important Spectcs 



The hard clam fisher)' produced 9.4 million pounds of 

 meats valued at $37.8 million — a decrease of 597,000 

 pounds (6 percent) and $8.7 million (19 percent) com- 

 pared with 2003. Landings m the New England region 

 were 6.2 miUion pounds ot meats (up 21 percent); 

 Middle Atlantic, 1.7 million pounds (down 44 percent); 

 Chesapeake, 342,000 pounds (down 4 percent); and the 

 South Atlantic region, 1.1 iniUion pounds (down 25 

 percent). The average ex\'essel price per pound of meats 

 decreased from $4.65 in 2003 to $4.02 in 2004. 



Soft clams yielded 3.0 million pounds of meats valued at 

 $19.0 million — a decrease of 92,000 pounds (3 percent), 

 but an increase in value of 1.2 iTuUion (6 percent) 

 compared with 2003. Maine was the leading state with 

 2.4 million pounds of meats (up less 1 percent), 

 followed by New York with 234,000 pounds (up 44 

 percent), and Rhode Island with 164,000 pounds (up 

 55percent). The average exvessel price per pound of 

 meats was $6.32 in 2004, compared with $5.76 in 2003. 



CRABS 



Landings of all species of crabs were 314.4 million 

 pounds valued at $448.0 million — a decrease of 17.6 

 million pounds (5 percent), and $32.9 million (7 percent) 

 compared with 2003. 



Hard blue crab landings were 165.4 million pounds 

 valued at $ 1 25.9 million — an increase of 580,000 pounds 

 (less 1 percent), but a decrease in value of $6.9 million (5 

 percent) compared with 2003. Louisiana landed 26 

 percent of the total U.S. landings followed by: North 

 Carolina, 20 percent; Mar\-land, 1 9 percent; and Virginia, 

 16 percent. Hard blue crab landings in the Chesapeake 

 region were 58.4 mOlion pounds — an increase of 27 

 percent; die South Atlantic with 40.5 million pounds 

 decreased 17 percent; and the Gulf region with 59.3 

 million pounds decreased 6 percent. The Middle Adantic 

 region with 7. 1 million pounds valued at $7.7 million had 

 an increase of 614,000 pounds (9 percent) compared 

 with 2003. The average exvessel price per pound of hard 

 blue crabs was 76 cents in 2004, compared with 81 cents 

 in 2003. 



Dungeness crab landings were 72.2 million pounds 

 valued at $119.7 million — a decrease of 12.6 million 

 pounds (15 percent) and $15.1 million (11 percent) 

 compared with 2003. Oregon landings of 27.3 million 

 pounds (up 16 percent) led all states with 38 percent of 

 the total landings. California landings were 24.8 million 

 pounds (up 11 percent) or 34 percent of the total 



landings. Washington landings were 14.9 million pounds 

 (down 56 percent) and Alaska landings were 5.2 million 

 pounds (down 2 percent) compared with 2003. Tlie 

 average exvessel price per pound was $1.66 in 2004 

 compared widi $1.59 in 2003. 



U.S. landings ot king crab were 22.1 million pounds 

 valued at $93.4 million — a decrease of 812,000 pounds 

 (4 percent), and $12.1 million (11 percent) compared 

 with 2003. The average exvessel price per pound in 2004 

 was $4.23 compared with $4.61 in 2003. 



Snow crab landings were 23.7 million pounds valued at 

 $48.5 milhon — a decrease of 3.8 million pounds (14 

 percent), and $1.9 million (4 percent) compared with 

 2003. The average exvessel price per pound was $2.05 

 cents m 2004, up from $1.83 in 2003. 



Trend in Commercial Landings, 1995 - 2004 

 Crabs 



600 

 500 1 

 400 

 300 - 



200 \ ; 

 100 - 

 



M illton s lbs 



1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 



E2! Pounds -^Deflated Value 



LOBSTER, AMERICAN 



American lobster landings were 75.3 million pounds 

 valued at $315.4 million — an increase of 1.7 million 

 pounds (2 percent) and $23.2 million (8 percent) com- 

 pared with 2003. Maine led in landings for the 23rd 

 consecudve year with 58.5 million pounds valued at 

 $238.5 million — an mcrease of 3.6 tnilLion pounds (6 

 percent) compared with 2003. Massachusetts, the second 

 leading producer, had landings of 11.3 million pounds 

 valued at $51.5 million — a decrease of 99,000 pounds (1 

 percent) compared widi 2003. Together, Maine and 

 Massachusetts produced 93 percent of the total national 

 landings. The average exvessel price per pound was 

 $4.19 m 2004, compared with $3.97 in 2003. 



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