Infographic: The State of Saltwater Fishing in the United States
OutdoorHub Reporters 12.01.14
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released its annual Fisheries of the United States 2013 report, a trove of facts about the current state of saltwater fishing—both commercial and recreational—in the United States. Sport fishing has remained strong with more than 11 million anglers plying the waters. The top fish of the year, which came as little surprise, was the spotted seatrout with more than 38 million fish caught in 2013. When it comes to pure poundage however, nothing beat striped bass, which came in at 24 million pounds harvested. Catch-and-release fishing was also as popular as ever and 61 percent of all fish caught last year—over 430 million—were released alive.
“Commercial and recreational fishing are important contributors to our economy and help create jobs throughout our nation’s communities,” said Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “Working with our partners, the regional fishery management councils, and the fishing industry, we’ve made great strides on ending overfishing.”
The average American eats about 14.5 pounds of fish every year, how much do you put on your dinner table?
