Aquaculture 

ACH17-13/December 2019

Highlights Results from the 2018 Census of Aquaculture

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

Number and Location

In 2018, U.S. aquaculture sales were 

$1.5 billion, up 10.5 percent from 2013. 

Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic 

organisms using interventions such as 

seeding, stocking, feeding, protection 

from predators, etc. 

Food fish, which includes fish raised 

primarily for food as well as eggs from 

those fish, accounted for 47 percent 

of aquaculture sales in 2018. Sales of 

food fish totaled $716.0 million, down 

2 percent from 2013. Mississippi, first 

in total aquaculture sales, also led the 

country in food fish sales ($214.9 million 

in 2018). 

In all other aquaculture product 

categories, sales increased between 

2013 and 2018. Mollusk sales in 2018 

were $441.8 million, up 34 percent from 

2013. Crustacean sales totaled $100.4 

million, up 18 percent. Sport fish sales 

increased 65 percent between 2013 and 

2018.

The eleven states with sales of $50 

million or more accounted for four-fifths 

of total U.S. aquaculture sales. The top 

five states accounted for more than half. 

The same five states accounted for 37 

percent of aquaculture farms.

U.S aquaculture sales in 2018 amounted to $1.5 billion. This was an increase 

of $144.0 million or 10.5 percent from 2013, the last time the Census of 

Aquaculture was conducted. Five states accounted for 51 percent of 

aquaculture sales and 37 percent of aquaculture farms. Food fish and 

mollusks were the largest product categories, with catfish and oysters the 

top species in both sales and number of farms. Groundwater was the water 

source used by more farms than any other. 

2,932

farms

$1.5 billion

sales

$516,944

average sales per farm

Top States

Aquaculture Sales, 2018 ($ mil)

Mississippi 216

Washington 208

Louisiana 136

Virginia 113

California 106

Alabama 95

Hawaii 78

Maine 72

Florida 72

Arkansas 68

Texas 63

Aquaculture Sales by Product Type, 2013 and 2018 

2013 2018 % change

($ million)

Food fish 732.1 716.0 -2

Mollusks 328.6 441.8 +34

Crustaceans 84.9 100.4 +18

Ornamental fish 41.5 43.5 +5

Sport fish 23.8 39.4 +65

Baitfish 29.4 32.8 +12

Miscellaneous 131.4 141.9 +8

Total 1,371.7 1,515.7a +11

51The percent of U.S. aquaculture sales by the top five states, 

each with 2018 sales of $100 million or more.

Aquaculture Sales by State, 2018

U.S. = $1.5 bil

$ million

Not published

No sales

< $2.5

$2.5 - $4.9

$5.0 - $9.9

$10.0 - $49.9

$50.0 - $99.9

$100.0 + 

a

 Does not add due to rounding.
About the Census 

of Aquaculture

The 2018 Census of Aquaculture was 

a follow-on to the 2017 Census of 

Agriculture that collected detailed 

information related to production 

methods, surface water acres and 

sources, production, sales, point of first 

sale, and distributed aquaculture.

To learn more about the 2018 Census 

of Aquaculture, the 2017 Census of 

Agriculture, and how to access census 

data, go to:

www.agcensus.usda.gov

Source: USDA NASS, 2018 Census of Aquaculture (2017 Census of Agriculture). USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Distributed Aquaculture

In addition to aquaculture products 

produced and sold, some are distributed 

for conservation, recreation, enhancement, 

or restoration purposes. 

In 2018, for example, 325 farms distributed 

146.9 million trout of various sizes, with a 

live weight of 33 million pounds. 

The total number of farms that either sold

aquaculture products or distributed them

for conservation, recreation,

enhancement, or restoration purposes

was 3,456.

Top Species 

In each product type, a couple of 

species account for the majority of sales. 

Catfish sales, valued at $366.8 million 

in 2018, accounted for 51 percent of all 

food fish sales. Trout accounted for 16 

percent.

Oysters, valued at $284.9 million, 

accounted for 64 percent of mollusk 

sales. Clams accounted 31 percent. 

Crawfish raised for food accounted for 

just over half of 2018 crustacean sales. 

Saltwater shrimp accounted for 45 

percent.

Sales of Top Species, 2018 ($ million)

Saltwater Shrimp 45.6

Crawsh for food 50.8

CRUSTACEANS

Clams 136.2

Oysters 13 284.9

MOLLUSKS

Trout 116.7

Catsh 366.8

FOOD FISH

Aquaculture Farms 

In 2018, the United States had 2,932 aquaculture farms with sales, down 5 percent from 

2013. Farms may produce more than one type of product, so the sum of the number of farms 

shown exceeds the total number of farms.

Number of Farms and Top Species by Product Type, 2018

Catfish, raised on 531 farms, 30 percent in Mississippi.

Oysters, raised on 701 farms, 22 percent in Massachusetts.

Crawfish, raised on 482 farms, 93 percent in Louisiana.

Largemouth bass, raised on 195 farms spread throughout the U.S.

Koi, raised on 149 farms, 20 percent in Florida.

Fathead minnows, raised on 114 farms, 18 percent in Arkansas.

Miscellaneous 189 Turtles, raised on 45 farms, 33 percent in Louisiana.

Baitsh 168

Ornamental sh 263

Sport sh 264

Crustaceans 560

Mollusks 884

Food sh 1,071

17 The number of U.S. farms 

producing algae.

Miscellaneous Products 

Alligators accounted for $77.4 million in 

sales, 55 percent of total miscellaneous 

aquaculture sales. Their hides accounted for 

most of the sales. 

Miscellaneous products include algae, 

alligators, caviar, eels, frogs, snails, tadpoles, 

turtles, and other items. 

Water Sources 

Farms producing aquaculture had 

228,599 freshwater acres and 230,251 

saltwater acres in 2018. They utilized four 

sources of water. Because some farms 

utilize more than one source, the sum of the 

individual sources exceeds the total number 

of farms.

no. of farms

Groundwater 1,263

On-farm surface water 910

Off-farm surface water 161

Saltwater 997

First Point of Sale 

Based on the first point at which money was 

exchanged, 69 percent of food fish sales 

went to processors and 10 percent went to 

live haulers and brokers.

percent

Processors 69

Live haulers/brokers 10

Wholesale to other producers 8

Retail outlets 6

Recreational stocking 4

Direct to consumers 2

Other 1

28

The percent of sport fish sold directly 

for recreational stocking.

1,194

The number of farms that used ponds 

as a method of production, more than 

any other method.