Sushi begins with fish, rice, and timing. The wider seafood system is far larger: it includes domestic fishing, aquaculture, imported supply, processing, distribution, retail, and restaurants. The figures below use the latest 2023 U.S. data published by NOAA Fisheries. Each statistic names its source and reporting year so it can be cited accurately.
Seafood eaten per person
Americans consumed an average of 19.1 pounds of seafood per person in 2023. NOAA reports this as per-capita consumption, a useful measure for following long-term demand rather than the size of a single restaurant meal.
Source: NOAA Fisheries, Fisheries of the United States, 2023 data.
Share of seafood from imports
NOAA estimates that 80 percent of the seafood Americans ate in 2023 came from foreign imports. That reliance helps explain why seafood availability, logistics, and seasonality can be shaped by conditions well beyond any one coast.
Source: NOAA Fisheries, Fisheries of the United States, 2023 data.
U.S. farmed seafood production
Marine and freshwater farms produced an estimated 688 million pounds of seafood in 2023. NOAA values that output at $1.3 billion, showing how aquaculture complements wild fisheries in the domestic seafood supply.
Source: NOAA Fisheries, Fisheries of the United States, 2023 data.
Share of U.S. seafood product value from aquaculture
Although farmed seafood is a smaller share of domestic volume, NOAA reports that aquaculture represented 25 percent of the value of U.S. seafood products in 2023. Higher-value species make its economic contribution larger than its volume alone suggests.
Source: NOAA Fisheries, Fisheries of the United States, 2023 data.
Seafood-industry sales impact
Commercial fishing and the seafood industry generated $173.4 billion in sales throughout the U.S. supply chain in 2023. NOAA’s measure includes the movement from the first sale of fish through processors, wholesalers, retailers, and restaurants.
Source: NOAA Fisheries, Fisheries Economics of the United States, 2023 data.
Jobs supported by the seafood industry
In 2023, the U.S. commercial seafood industry supported 1 million full- and part-time jobs. The figure reflects fishing-related work across the industry, not only jobs on boats or at the sushi counter.
Source: NOAA Fisheries, Fisheries Economics of the United States, 2023 data.
How to read these statistics
These figures describe the U.S. seafood landscape, not a count of sushi consumption or a measure of any one species. They are most useful for understanding the scale and supply context behind seafood menus. For the SUGARFISH experience, the details are closer to the table: warm rice, fish cut to order, and each piece served when it is ready to eat.
Learn about our food →Sources and methodology
This page uses NOAA Fisheries’ annual national reporting. Consumption, import reliance, and aquaculture figures come from Fisheries of the United States, reporting 2023 data. Sales and employment figures come from Fisheries Economics of the United States, reporting 2023 data. NOAA notes that economic figures may be revised as regional partners provide updated information.
Last reviewed September 21, 2026. This page will be refreshed when NOAA publishes newer annual figures or a source changes.
Cite this page
SUGARFISH by sushi nozawa. “U.S. Seafood Statistics.” Updated September 21, 2026. https://vizboost.com/seafood-statistics