Final results from the Bureau of Census’ Aquaculture recorded an overall increase of selected fish and shellfish products imports while exports declined for 2014. Imports overall increased 7% in volume and 19% in dollar for 2014. About 2.64 billion-lbs. were imported compared with 2.48 billion-lbs. in 2013. The total cost was about $11.42 billion, up from $9.57 billion in 2013.
Frozen shrimp drove the volume increase, up 13% to 988.3 million–lbs. from 2013’s 871.7 million-lbs. On the dollar value side, two categories of shrimp, tilapia and Atlantic salmon were each over a billion dollars. Atlantic frozen salmon fillets jumped 22% to $1.77 billion dollars on 6.9 million-lbs. sold. Frozen shrimp, the top import by dollar, increased 27% to $5.28 billion on 988.3 million-lbs., while fresh and prepared shrimp gained 22% to $1.41 billion on 265.1 million-lbs. Tilapia, which sold 508.7 million-lbs. for the year, increased by 8% to $1.11 billion for 2014.
Exports overall decreased 10% in volume and 3% in dollar value in a year-to-date comparison ending Dec. 31. About 511.8 million-lbs. were exported compared with 571.6 million-lbs. in 2013. The total cost was about $1.20 billion, down from $1.24 billion in 2013.
The category that drove the decrease was the largest sector, frozen pacific salmon, down 14% in volume, to 311.0 million lbs., and 2% in cost, to $477.7 million. Atlantic fresh salmon had the largest percentage drop in cost, 30%, to $36.5 million from $52.2 million and the largest percentage drop of 28% to 11.2 million-lbs., down from 15.6 million-lbs.