Feelin' Fishy

Are you a land lubber or a sea lubber? Or do you actively lub both, as I do?

Well, according to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) even though there was a slight decrease in seafood consumption in 2005, we spent $65.2 billion on seafood products, a $3 billion rise over 2004.

We were hungry enough to consume 4.8 billion pounds of seafood in ’05, and are the third largest consumers, behind China and Japan, of course.

Per person, the average amount eaten over the year was 16.2 pounds, and 25% of that was shrimp! Shrimp is king, and ’05 exports reached a 10 year high of 95.5 million pounds.

Canned tuna consumption dropped a touch, which is too bad because I’m beginning to expand my horizons on canned tuna, and what can be wrought from a beautiful canned fish.

I love the NOAA. The agency began 200 years ago with the establishment of the Survey of the Coast by Thomas Jefferson in 1807. With the formation of the Weather Bureau and the Commission of Fish and Fisheries in the 1870’s, plenty of science that we know today began with the NOAA. Plus, whenever there’s a hurricane, they have the coolest pictures.

And now I’m hungry for fish tonight. So I might thaw some scallops I have in the freezer if I’m feeling lazy, but more likely I’ll pop down to Coastal and see what looks good. A bright and sharp tuna ceviche might be just the ticket to cut through the ridiculous perma-chill.