New Economic Report Finds Commercial and Recreational Saltwater Fishing Generated More Than Two Million Jobs
U.S. commercial and recreational saltwater fishing generated more than $185 billion in sales and supported more than two million jobs in 2006, according to a new economic report released by NOAA Fisheries Service. The commercial fishing industry - harvesters, seafood processors and dealers, seafood wholesalers and seafood retailers - generated $103 billion in sales, $44 billion in income and supported 1.5 million jobs in 2006, the most recent year included in the report. Recreational fishing generated $82 billion in sales, $24 billion in income, and supported 534,000 jobs in 2006.
The report breaks down the sales, income and job figures for each coastal state. It also includes descriptive statistics on commercial fish landings, revenue, and price trends; recreational fishing effort, catch, and participation rates; and employer and non-employer establishments, annual payroll, and annual receipt information for fishing-related industries such as seafood retailers and ship and boat building.
