Recent reports on global over-fishing fail to recognize aquaculture as the next logical step, says the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service (USDA-ERS) biennial Electronic Outlook Report for Aquaculture, released today. However, aquaculture is expected to continue to grow, says the report.

Imports of salmon into the U.S. have more than doubled in the last five years, at 213 million pounds. During the same time, imports of tilapia have risen 230 percent to 100 million pounds. Shrimp imports, which are a mix of farmed production and wild harvest have also grown rapidly, by 41 percent and are expected to top 1 billion pounds in 2003 with a value of $3.3 billion if the trend continues.

Though facing competition from other countries and from the domestic livestock industries, U.S. production of aquaculture products is also expected to increase. The report points to the success of U.S catfish, which is one of the largest segments of the worldwide aquaculture industry, says the report.

The overall outlook for domestic production, exports, and imports of aquaculture products for the remainder of 2003 and into 2004 hinges on three expectations: a strengthening U.S. economy; growth in the food service sector and a strong dollar.

Read the full report at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/so/view.asp?f=livestock/ldp-aqs/

The next Electronic Outlook Report for Aquaculture will be released March 17, 2004.

Resources:

Learn more about U.S. Aquaculture:

Aquaculture Briefing Room, http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/aquaculture/

NASS Catfish Production, http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/other/pcf-bbc/

NASS Catfish Processing, http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/other/pcf-bb/

NASS Trout, http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/other/ztp-bb/

National Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries of the United States (wild harvest data),

http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/publications.html