NOAA Announces Top U.S. Fishing Ports for 2003

Commercial fishermen unloaded 900.7 million pounds of fish and shellfish at the port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, AK, making it the top port in the United States for landings in 2003. Dutch Harbor-Unalaska netted the top landings slot for the15th consecutive year, although the total fish and shellfish landings had decreased 7.4 million pounds from the record 2002 level. Empire-Venice, LA, ranked as the number two port for quantity of landings in 2003 with 400.0 million pounds. Reedville, VA, was third at 375.3 million pounds.

The port of New Bedford, MA, claimed the top spot for highest value of landings with $176.2 million for 2003. The 2003-dollar value of landings at New Bedford was up $7.6 million from 2002, mostly attributable to the value of sea scallops brought in and an increase in landings of herring, mackerel, silver hake, skates and ocean quahog. This was the fourth year in a row that the dollar value of landings at New Bedford increased. Number two for value of landings for 2003 was Dutch Harbor-Unalaska at $139.7 million–an increase of $3.6 million over 2002. This port’s landings value increased mainly due to increased groundfish catch from the Bearing Sea/Aleutian Islands and the Gulf of Alaska. The Hampton Roads Area, VA, landings value was third at $79.6 million in 2003, an increase of $10.1 million over 2002 due to increased landings of sea scallops.

A complete list of commercial fishery landings and value at 50 major U.S. ports for 2002-03 is available at http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/publications.html.

NOAA Announces Top U.S. Fishing Ports for 2003

Commercial fishermen unloaded 900.7 million pounds of fish and shellfish at the port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, AK, making it the top port in the United States for landings in 2003. Dutch Harbor-Unalaska netted the top landings slot for the15th consecutive year, although the total fish and shellfish landings had decreased 7.4 million pounds from the record 2002 level. Empire-Venice, LA, ranked as the number two port for quantity of landings in 2003 with 400.0 million pounds. Reedville, VA, was third at 375.3 million pounds.

The port of New Bedford, MA, claimed the top spot for highest value of landings with $176.2 million for 2003. The 2003-dollar value of landings at New Bedford was up $7.6 million from 2002, mostly attributable to the value of sea scallops brought in and an increase in landings of herring, mackerel, silver hake, skates and ocean quahog. This was the fourth year in a row that the dollar value of landings at New Bedford increased. Number two for value of landings for 2003 was Dutch Harbor-Unalaska at $139.7 million–an increase of $3.6 million over 2002. This port’s landings value increased mainly due to increased groundfish catch from the Bearing Sea/Aleutian Islands and the Gulf of Alaska. The Hampton Roads Area, VA, landings value was third at $79.6 million in 2003, an increase of $10.1 million over 2002 due to increased landings of sea scallops.

A complete list of commercial fishery landings and value at 50 major U.S. ports for 2002-03 is available at http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/publications.html.