Overview of Florida Seafood and Aquaculture
Florida ranks among the top five states in 2006 fresh seafood production with an average harvest of over 96 million pounds harvested and a dockside value of more than $186 million.
Florida fishermen catch more than 90 percent of the nation’s supply of grouper, pompano, mullet, stone crab, pink shrimp, spiny lobsters, and Spanish mackerel.
The Sunshine State boasts a fishing industry that provides more than 200 million seafood dinners annually.
Florida has more seafood processing plants than any other state.
Florida producers sold $74.9 million of aquaculture products in 2005.
The value of Florida’s aquaculture sales ranks seventh in the nation.
Tropical fish dominates the Florida aquaculture industry as the Number 1 commodity with $33 million in sales in 2005.
The Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign (FAPC) is successfully increasing public awareness of the importance of Florida seafood, aquaculture and agriculture, which has an overall economic impact estimated at $97 billion annually.
Economic Impact
Approximately 500 Florida-based businesses process seafood. Another 800 businesses buy and sell seafood as dockside fish buyers, wholesalers, brokers and importers/exporters.
Florida serves a $24 billion restaurant industry and 5,288 seafood retailers including independent and grocery chain stores.
The total economic impact of Florida’s seafood harvest is almost $1 billion annually, and creates more than 20,000 full-time and 10,000 part-time jobs.
2006 Top 20 Species in Dollars
| Species | Estimated Value |
Total Trips |
Average Price/Pound |
Total Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shrimp | $37,224,699 | 9,625 | $2.62 | 18,058,212 |
| Spiny Lobster | $27,264,774 | 17,459 | $5.72 | 4,765,337 |
| Stone Crab Claws | $24,178,348 | 23,829 | $10.00 | 2,417,842 |
| Grouper | $22,837,380 | 20,519 | $2.55 | 9,060,772 |
| Blue Crab | $10,394,829 | 37,560 | $0.88 | 11,821,630 |
| Snappers | $9,486,852 | 22,562 | $2.32 | 3,757,845 |
| Mullet | $6,915,987 | 25,589 | $0.67 | 8,868,359 |
| King Mackerel | $5,993,010 | 14,968 | $1.51 | 3,966,864 |
| Oyster Meats | $5,474,876 | 25,684 | $2.29 | 2,389,114 |
| Rock Shrimp | $4,752,768 | 427 | $1.43 | 3,319,789 |
| Spanish Mackerel | $2,411,046 | 6,614 | $0.61 | 3,948,267 |
| Pompano | $1,619,791 | 6,217 | $3.53 | 458,543 |
| Swordfish | $1,616,500 | 474 | $3.04 | 531,156 |
| Shark | $1,121,669 | 2,077 | $0.31 | 3,656,564 |
| Tilefish | $1,107,901 | 486 | $1.96 | 565,653 |
| Amberjacks | $981,239 | 3,045 | $1.07 | 920,055 |
| Mahi-mahi | $683,569 | 3,199 | $1.67 | 409,680 |
| Flounders | $613,080 | 4,537 | $2.38 | 257,639 |
| Whiting | $511,434 | 3,878 | $0.99 | 514,834 |
| Wild Clams | $405,729 | 2,743 | $8.98 | 45,173 |
Source: Florida Marine Research Institute
2006 Top 20 Species in Pounds
| Species | Total Pounds |
Total Trips |
Average Price/Pound |
Estimated Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shrimp | 18,058,212 | 9,625 | $2.62 | $37,224,699 |
| Blue Crab | 11,821,630 | 37,560 | $0.88 | $10,394,829 |
| Grouper | 9,060,772 | 20,519 | $2.55 | $22,837,380 |
| Mullet | 8,868,359 | 25,589 | $0.67 | $6,915,987 |
| Spiny Lobster | 4,765,337 | 17,459 | $5.72 | $27,264,774 |
| King Mackerel | 3,966,864 | 14,968 | $1.51 | $5,993,010 |
| Spanish Mackerel | 3,948,267 | 6,614 | $0.61 | $2,411,046 |
| Snappers | 3,757,845 | 22,562 | $2.32 | $9,486,852 |
| Shark | 3,656,564 | 2,077 | $0.31 | $1,121,669 |
| Rock Shrimp | 3,319,789 | 427 | $1.43 | $4,752,768 |
| Stone Crab Claws | 2,417,842 | 23,829 | $10.00 | $24,178,348 |
| Oyster Meats | 2,389,114 | 25,684 | $2.29 | $5,474,876 |
| Amberjacks | 920,055 | 3,045 | $1.07 | $981,239 |
| Tilefish | 565,653 | 486 | $1.96 | $1,107,901 |
| Swordfish | 531,156 | 474 | $3.04 | $1,616,500 |
| Whiting | 514,834 | 3,878 | $0.99 | $511,434 |
| Pompano | 458,543 | 6,217 | $3.53 | $1,619,791 |
| Mahi-Mahi | 409,680 | 3,199 | $1.67 | $683,569 |
| Porgies | 348,421 | 3,085 | $1.07 | $374,533 |
| Sheepshead | 297,767 | 9,225 | $0.94 | $279,864 |
Source: Florida Marine Research Institute
Florida Coastal Counties' Seafood Harvest 2006
| County | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monroe | 12,540,807 |
| Lee | 10,003,100 |
| Pinellas | 9,483,819 |
| Gulf | 6,893,510 |
| Duval | 6,822,345 |
| Franklin | 5,776,630 |
| Brevard | 4,783,985 |
| Manatee | 3,371,769 |
| Bay | 3,065,851 |
| Wakulla | 2,773,508 |
| St. Lucie | 2,621,442 |
| Martin | 2,468,672 |
| Miami-Dade | 2,389,681 |
| Hillsborough | 2,377,875 |
| Citrus | 2,233,296 |
| Palm Beach | 2,065,695 |
| Collier | 1,918,616 |
| Volusia | 1,509,620 |
| Charlotte | 1,460,685 |
| Okaloosa | 1,435,496 |
| Hernando | 1,364,191 |
| Escambia | 1,039,336 |
| Indian River | 1,035,726 |
| Broward | 997,150 |
| St. Johns | 953,170 |
| Nassau | 944,137 |
| Levy | 874,953 |
| Dixie | 505,859 |
| Putnam | 447,234 |
| Pasco | 343,705 |
| Santa Rosa | 299,894 |
| Taylor | 289,609 |
| Sarasota | 156,324 |
| Clay | 145,968 |
| Walton | 72,962 |
| Flagler | 70,738 |
Source: Florida Marine Research Institute
Aquaculture Facts and Figures
Aquaculture, simply defined as the cultivation of aquatic organisms is Florida's most diverse agribusiness.
Over 710 aquaculturists produce the greatest variety of aquatic species of any state in the nation.
United States' aquaculture sales during 2005 were over $1 billion, with Florida ranking seventh in total sales.
Florida is a leading U.S. producer of farm-raised ornamental fish, aquatic plants and an important producer of hard clams.
Farm-gate sales have ranged from $35 million to $102 million over the last 10 years.
Florida Aquaculture Product Sales
| Products | Producers Total |
Net Sales |
Percent of Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Fish | 133 | $33,232,000 | 44.3 |
| Aquatic Plants | 20 | $17,560,000 | 23.4 |
| Clams and Oysters | 153 | $10,694,000 | 14.2 |
| Alligators | 14 | $4,070,000 | 5.4 |
| Tilapia | 18 | $477,000 | 0.06 |
| Catfish | 23 | $1,434,000 | 1.9 |
| Other Aquatics | -- | $5,245,000 | 6.9 |
| Live Rock | 6 | $341,000 | 0.04 |
| Total | $74,975,000 |
Florida Aquaculture – Size of Operation
| Acres in Operation |
Number of Operations |
Percent of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 3 | 185 |
51.5 |
| 3 to 5.9 | 61 |
17.0 |
| 6 to 19.9 | 79 |
22.0 |
| 20 to 49.9 | 25 |
7.0 |
| 50 to 99.9 | 9 |
2.5 |
| Total | 359 |
100.0 |
Florida Aquaculture – Labor
| Farms |
Workers |
|
|---|---|---|
| Unpaid labor | 158 |
262 |
| Paid labor, full-time | 95 |
478 |
| Paid labor, part-time | 143 |
315 |
Above charts reflect the most current data available 2005 provided by the Florida Agricultural Statistics Services in cooperation with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Clam Plantings 2003-2006
| Clams planted in 2003 | 350,398,000 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clams planted in 2004 | 392,100,000 | ||||||
| Clams planted in 2005 (est.) | 350,000,000 | ||||||
| Clams to be planted in 2006 | 500,000,000 |
Alligator Inventory, By Type – Florida
| 2004 | 2006 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Producers | 13 | 14 |
| Total Alligators on hand | 69,000 | 56,300 |
| Brood Stock | 3,800 | 1,800 |
| Hatchlings | 23,700 | 20,600 |
| All other | 41,600 | 33,900 |
Report statistics provided by the Florida Agricultural Statistics Services in cooperation with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The Florida aquaculture industry is surveyed every other year. To read the complete report for 2005 go to www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Florida/index.asp.
