NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — September 19, 2012 — New Bedford for the 12th consecutive year is the nation's No. 1 dollar-value fishing port in America, NOAA Fisheries announced this morning.
Dutch Harbor, Alaska, is No. 1 in terms of pounds of fish landed, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The sea scallop industry represents the bulk of New Bedford's catch value.
Some 117 million pounds of fish were landed here for a total worth of $369 million.
U.S. commercial fisheries landed 10.1 billion pounds of fish in 2011, NOAA said.
That's an increase of 1.9 billion pounds and $784 million in value over the previous year.
Gulf of Mexico menhaden, Alaska pollock and Pacific hake were at their highest levels since 1994.
The Northeast, however, is headed for a crisis in groundfish catch next year, as sharply reduced stock assessments are leading to sweeping cutbacks in allowable catch. The Northeast congressional delegation is seeking disaster assistance for the groundfish industry.
Read the full story in the New Bedford Standard Times