Seafood Consumption to New Heights in the US
November 7, 2025 - Last year the Americans consumed more than 6.6 billion pounds (3.0 million metric tons) edible weight of seafood for the first time. This is 18.9 pounds per person, which is a new record up 1.6% from the year before, compared to 16.6 pounds per person 20 years ago.
The main reason for the increase is that seafood in general has become cheaper over the years, due to the fact that more than 50% of the supply now is farm-raised. The development of new techniques in aquaculture has made production more flexible and less expensive. The most popular seafood last year was still shrimp, salmon, tilapia, and catfish.
Argument: The information is a revision of Seafood Vision 2020 by H.M. Johnson & Associates, based on the US consumption of seafood in year 2004 published by NOAA Fisheries Service.
Questions: How will the increase of seafood consumption in the US affect the beef and chicken industry? Will the development in aquaculture give new possibilities in other marine areas?