Commercial Fishing

Commercial Fishing

Brief Excerpt from Industry Overview Chapter:

Companies in this industry catch wild finfish, shellfish, and other marine products from their natural habitats. Major companies include Cooke Aquaculture (Canada), Maruha Nichiro and Nippon Suisan Kaisha (both based in Japan), and Trident Seafood (the US). Large commercial fishing companies tend to be vertically integrated, encompassing fishing, freezing, and processing operations; smaller companies may have fishing operations only.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by trends in fish consumption. The profitability of individual companies depends on maximizing yield without depleting stocks. Industrial fisheries have advantages in fleet size and access to experienced crew members. Small-scale and “artisan” fisheries can compete effectively by serving a local market or by specializing in ultra-fresh fish. The US industry is highly fragmented: more than 90% of companies operate a single establishment and have four or fewer employees.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Major marine and freshwater products include finfish (50%) and shellfish and other (50%).