DUTCH HARBOR-UNALASKA, ALASKA AND NEW BEDFORD, MASS.,
LAND TOP U.S. FISHING PORTS RANKINGS FOR 2004

Commercial fishermen unloaded 886.4 million pounds of fish and shellfish at the port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska, last year, making it the country’s top port for landings in 2004, the NOAA Fisheries Service announced today. The port of New Bedford, Mass., claimed the top spot for value of landings, bringing in $206.5 million in 2004. The total domestic commercial landings for 2004 were 9.6 billion pounds, valued at $3.7 billion dollars.

This is the 16th consecutive year that Dutch Harbor-Unalaska has held the top landings position, according to NOAA Fisheries Service. Total fish and shellfish landings there were down 21.7 million pounds from the record 2003 level of 908.7 million pounds, due to a decrease in groundfish catch.

Reedville, Va., moved into the number two position with 400.5 million pounds, up from 375.3 million pounds in 2003. Empire-Venice, La., fell to third at 379.0 million pounds, down from 400 million pounds in 2003.

The value of landings at New Bedford was up $30.3 million from 2003, due to a 35 percent increase in sea scallop catch. This was the fifth year in a row that the dollar value of landings at New Bedford increased.

Dutch Harbor-Unalaska was ranked second in value of landings at $155.0 million, a decrease of $1.9 million from 2003. Hampton Roads Area, Va. brought in $100.6 million in 2004, an increase of $21.6 million, landing the third-highest value spot.

The port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska holds the records for both quantity and value of landings. In 2003, commercial fishermen there caught 908.7 million pounds of fish and shellfish. The record for value was set in 1994, when the port raked in $224.1 million from landings.

NOAA Fisheries Service is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation’s living marine resources and their habitat through scientific research, management and enforcement. NOAA Fisheries Service provides effective stewardship of these resources for the benefit of the nation, supporting coastal communities that depend upon them, and helping to provide safe and healthy seafood to consumers and recreational opportunities for the American public.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners and nearly 60 countries to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes.

NOAA Fisheries: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov

TOP 10 COMMERCIAL FISHERY LANDINGS AT MAJOR U.S. PORTS, 2003-2004 Figures in Millions of Pounds
Port	2003	2004
Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska	908.7	886.4
Reedville, Va.	375.3	400.5
Empire-Venice, La.	400.0	379.0
Kodiak, Alaska	262.9	312.6
Intracoastal City, La.	325.2	301.8
Cameron, La.	259.0	243.1
New Bedford, Mass.	155.4	175.1
Pascagoula-Moss Point, Miss.	192.0	162.8
Astoria, Ore.	114.1	135.8
Gloucester, Mass.	88.8	113.3

 

TOP 10 COMMERCIALFISHERY VALUES AT MAJOR U.S. PORTS, 2003-2004 Figures in Millions of Dollars
Port	2003	2004
New Bedford, Mass.	176.2	206.5
Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska	156.9	155.0
Hampton Roads Area, Va.	78.9	100.6
Kodiak, Alaska	39.4	49.7
Cape May-Wildwood, N.J.	42.7	68.1
Empire-Venice, La.	50.8	60.2
Seward, Alaska	39.4	49.7
Honolulu, Hawaii	41.0	44.6
Sitka, Alaska	24.8	43.3
Key West, Fla.	38.4	43.2

Note: To avoid disclosure of private enterpirse certain ports have not been included.