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.
According to the report “Fisheries Economics of the United States 2006,” Division of Economics and Social Analysis, Office of Science and Technology, NOAA Fisheries, Florida commercial fishing industry-harvesters, seafood processors and dealers, seafood wholesalers and seafood retailers generated $5.2 billion, and 103,000 jobs.
Florida serves a $24 billion restaurant industry and 5,288 seafood retailers including independent and grocery chain stores.
2007 Top 20 Species in Dollars
| Species | Dockside Value |
Trips |
Avg. Price/Pound |
Total Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shrimp | $27,261,668 |
7,361 |
$2.24 |
13,025,708 |
| Spiny lobster | $27,009,162 |
18,845 |
$7.18 |
3,760,383 |
| Stone Crab claws | $26,488,352 |
24,069 |
$8.96 |
2,957,551 |
| Grouper | $21,410,039 |
19,082 |
$2.92 |
7,627,857 |
| Blue Crab(hard) | $10,455,317 |
36,019 |
$1.01 |
10,302,224 |
| Snapper | $10,152,612 |
20,459 |
$2.43 |
3,807,361 |
| Oysters | $6,710,703 |
32,803 |
$2.26 |
2,969,990 |
| King mackerel | $6,564,936 |
14,911 |
$1.66 |
3,950,934 |
| Mullet | $4,313,426 |
22,353 |
$0.65 |
6,835,635 |
| Swordfish | $3,088,184 |
1,078 |
$3.23 |
955,376 |
| Tuna | $2,906,095 |
647 |
$2.44 |
919,347 |
| Spanish mackerel | $2,546,690 |
7,648 |
$0.70 |
3,634,264 |
| Pompano | $1,325,391 |
5,089 |
$3.46 |
383,248 |
| Golden Tilefish | $1,190,581 |
790 |
$2.07 |
573,894 |
| Dolphin | $1,036,975 |
3,097 |
$1.88 |
552,845 |
| Amberjacks | $946,752 |
3,082 |
$1.06 |
896,992 |
| Shrimp, rock | $741,337 |
354 |
$1.68 |
442,365 |
| Flounders | $634,176 |
4,756 |
$2.50 |
254,022 |
| Shark | $534,947 |
1,419 |
$0.35 |
1,527,679 |
| Blue crab (soft) | $503,862 |
1,959 |
$8.34 |
60,408 |
Source: Florida Marine Research Institute
2007 Top 20 Species in Pounds
| Species | Pounds |
Trips |
Avg. Price/Pound |
Dockside Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shrimp | 13,025,708 |
7,361 |
$2.24 |
$27,261,668 |
| Blue crab (hard) | 10,302,224 |
36,019 |
$1.01 |
$10,455,317 |
| Grouper | 7,627,857 |
19,082 |
$2.92 |
$21,410,039 |
| Mullet, black | 6,578,048 |
20,063 |
$0.63 |
$4,142,487 |
| Mackerel, king | 3,950,934 |
14,911 |
$1.66 |
$6,564,936 |
| Snapper | 3,807,361 |
20,459 |
$2.43 |
$10,152,612 |
| Spiny Lobster | 3,760,383 |
18,845 |
$7.18 |
$27,009,162 |
| Spanish Mackerel | 3,634,264 |
7,648 |
$0.70 |
$2,546,690 |
| Oysters | 2,969,990 |
32,803 |
$2.26 |
$6,710,703 |
| Stone crab claws | 2,957,551 |
24,069 |
$8.96 |
$26,488,352 |
| Shark | 1,527,679 |
1,419 |
$0.35 |
$534,947 |
| Swordfish | 955,376 |
1,078 |
$3.23 |
$3,088,184 |
| Tuna | 919,347 |
647 |
$2.44 |
$2,906,095 |
| Amberjacks | 896,992 |
3,082 |
$1.06 |
$946,752 |
| Golden Tilefish | 573,894 |
790 |
$2.07 |
$1,190,581 |
| Dolphin | 552,845 |
3,097 |
$1.88 |
$1,036,975 |
| Rock Shrimp | 442,365 |
354 |
$1.68 |
$741,337 |
| Porgies | 402,191 |
2,617 |
$1.06 |
$424,544 |
| Pompano | 383,248 |
5,089 |
$3.46 |
$1,325,391 |
| Sheepshead | 271,222 |
8,570 |
$0.96 |
$259,807 |
Source: Florida Marine Research Institute
Florida Coastal Counties' Seafood Harvest 2007
| County | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monroe | $9,578,308 |
| Pinellas | $6,615,576 |
| Duval | $6,473,990 |
| Franklin | $6,368,640 |
| Lee | $6,248,197 |
| Gulf | $4,989,723 |
| Brevard | $4,299,568 |
| Bay | $3,171,528 |
| Manatee | $2,865,808 |
| St. Lucie | $2,526,573 |
| Wakulla | $2,219,524 |
| Martin | $2,076,166 |
| Citrus | $2,017,422 |
| Hillsborough | $1,946,903 |
| Collier | $1,832,750 |
| Taylor | $1,727,867 |
| Dade | $1,519,032 |
| Palm Beach | $1,516,926 |
| County | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hernando | $1,438,762 |
| Okaloosa | $1,425,324 |
| St. Johns | $1,358,554 |
| Charlotte | $1,302,663 |
| Volusia | $1,299,246 |
| Escambia | $1,213,938 |
| Indian River | $1,163,895 |
| Broward | $1,117,536 |
| Putnam | $910,380 |
| Dixie | $867,012 |
| Levy | $864,365 |
| Nassau | $809,567 |
| Pasco | $394,202 |
| Santa Rosa | $221,970 |
| Clay | $196,319 |
| Flagler | $157,896 |
| Sarasota | $133,260 |
| Walton | $94,731 |
Source: Florida Marine Research Institute
Marine Life Harvests in 2007
In addition to edible seafood and bait Florida commercially harvests marine life or tropical ornamentals mainly for the aquarium market. Urchins, octopus, and starfish are just some of the species harvested. When species are harvested they are counted individually as opposed to by the pound. In 2007 Florida harvested over 9 million individual tropical ornamentals with an estimated total value of over $3.5 million.
| Species | Number Landed |
Total Trips |
Average Price (Each) |
Estimated Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lobsters | 18,511 |
173 |
$0.26 |
$4,761 |
| Sea Cucumbers | 20,281 |
594 |
$0.72 |
$14,581 |
| Angelfish | 21,180 |
1,144 |
$12.12 |
$256,807 |
| Sponges | 21,517 |
789 |
$2.46 |
$74,502 |
| Scallops | 28,215 |
427 |
$0.74 |
$20,842 |
| Live Sand | 31,005 |
90 |
$1.20 |
$37,138 |
| Plants | 38,474 |
528 |
$1.41 |
$54,115 |
| Nudibranchs | 39,527 |
501 |
$1.12 |
$44,160 |
| Gorgonians | 43,774 |
841 |
$3.29 |
$144,041 |
| Urchins | 45,743 |
844 |
$2.45 |
$111,854 |
| Conchs | 50,646 |
102 |
$0.62 |
$31,523 |
| Seahorses | 66,261 |
741 |
$1.04 |
$68,934 |
| Corrallimorphs | 106,425 |
159 |
$2.83 |
$301,268 |
| Live Rock | 116,905 |
212 |
$2.82 |
$329,774 |
| Starfish | 118,510 |
1,003 |
$0.40 |
$47,771 |
| Anemones | 141,678 |
833 |
$0.92 |
$130,127 |
| Shrimp | 717,468 |
1,400 |
$0.40 |
$286,676 |
| Sand Dollars | 2,039,221 |
225 |
$0.08 |
$159,872 |
| Crabs | 2,772,136 |
2,746 |
$0.19 |
$513,339 |
| Snails | 2,790,607 |
2,553 |
$0.17 |
$485,684 |
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.
