A look at the facts behind each issue’s featured food.

By Marc Rumminger

16.2 lbs

Per capita consumption of fish and shellfish in the U.S., 2005
...in 1935: 10.5 lbs

62.4 lbs

Per capita consumption of beef in the U.S., 2005.

Food Availability (Per Capita) Data System, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Link to the USDA website.

15.5%

Share of animal protein obtained from seafood worldwide in 2003

“The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2006,” ISSN 1020-5489, FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Link to the FAO website.

52%

Fraction of the world’s fisheries that are at their maximum sustainable limits (that is, unable to give us any more fish).

“The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2006,” ISSN 1020-5489, FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Link to the FAO Fisheries website.

78%

Farmed salmon’s share of U.S. fresh and frozen salmon consumption for 2000-2004.

“The Great Salmon Run: Competition Between Wild and Farmed Salmon,” Gunnar Knapp, Cathy A. Roheim and James L. Anderson, World Wildlife Fund, January 2007.

Link to the World Wildlife Fund website.

1.2%

Average annual increase (in total catch by weight) since 1970 of wild-caught fish
...of aquaculture production: 8.8%

“The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2006,” ISSN 1020-5489, FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Link to the FAO Fisheries website.

32.4%

Aquaculture’s share of total global supply of seafood.
...in 1970: 3.9%

“The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2006,” ISSN 1020-5489, FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Link to the FAO Fisheries website.

31%

Fraction of global seafood harvest used to feed animals and aquaculture

"Effect of Aquaculture on World Fish Supplies," Naylor, R. L., R. J. Goldburg, et al. (2000). Nature 405: 1017-1024 (no link available).

2.4 to 3.16

Pounds of wild fish needed to grow one pound of farmed salmon (1,2)
...of farmed shrimp: 2.81 (1)
...of farmed catfish: 0.84 (1)

(1) Nature, Volume 405 (2000), 1017-1024. (2) “Farmed Salmon Report,” Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program.
Download the MBA Farmed Salmon report (pdf).

345

Number of fish species living in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Encyclopedia of the Sanctuaries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Link to the National Oceanic website.

3000

Approximate number of California Sea Otters in 2007
...in the 1930s: 50

“Diving into Our Ocean Sanctuaries,” by David Lukas, Bay Nature, October-December 2007 (no link available).

30.9 million

Number of California oysters sold in 2005 (3)
13-18 months, Average lifespan of a farmed California oyster (4)

(3) 2005 Census of Aquaculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Download the 2005 Census of Aquaculture (pdf).
(4) California Oyster Culture by Fred S. Conte, U.C. Davis Department of Animal Science, ASAQ-A07, February 1996.
Download the California Oyster Culture report (pdf).

9.9 million lbs

Average annual harvest of Dungeness crab in California between 1990 and 1999.
...1950 and 1989: 9.9 million lbs

Annual Status of the Fisheries Report through 2003, California Department of Fish and Game, December 2004.
Download the Annual Status of Fisheries Report (pdf).

$1.93

Average wholesale price (in 2005 dollars) for California-landed Dungeness crab, 1996-2005.
...1956-1965: $0.99

National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Link to the National Marine Fisheries website and link to the the Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator.

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