According to a recent report from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, The number of trout 12 inches and longer sold during 2008 totaled 40.4 million fish, down 31 per cent from the previous year.
The average price per pound was $1.38, up 19 cents from 2007. The value of sales for the 2008 marketing year was 72.4 million dollars, down 9 per cent from 2007. For trout 12 inches or longer 58 per cent were sold to processors and 24 per cent were sold to fee and recreational fishing establishments.
The number of 6"- 12" trout sold during 2008 totaled 4.61 million fish, a decrease of 15 per cent from 2007. The average price per pound was $3.02 during 2008, unchanged from the 2007 price. The total value of sales was 5.78 million dollars during 2008, a 11 per cent decrease from the previous year. The major sales outlets for 6"- 12" trout were to fee and recreational fishing establishments accounting for 39 per cent of total sales, followed by government with 24 per cent.
The number of 1"- 6" trout sold during 2008 totaled 9.53 million, a 6 per cent decrease from the previous year. The average value per 1,000 fish was $157 during 2008, down from $178 in 2007. The total value of sales was 1.50 million dollars, down 17 per cent from last year's total.
Trout distributed for restoration, conservation, and recreational purposes, primarily by State and Federal hatcheries, included 8.6 million 12" or longer fish, 63.9 million 6"-12" fish, and 94.7 million 1"-6" fish. The estimated value of fish distributed totaled 103 million dollars, down 9 per cent from 2007.
Total losses of all trout intended for sale were 26.3 million fish during 2008. The top three categories were 87 per cent lost to disease, 5 per cent lost to drought, and 4 per cent lost to predators.
The number of operations by State will no longer be published on an annual basis. State level numbers will only be published in conjunction with the Census of Agriculture every five years. The number of operations at the U.S. level will continue to be published on an annual basis. Operations for 2008 were revised at the U.S. and State level based on the Census of Agriculture.
State level numbers for per cent sold by point of first sale and trout lost by cause have been discontinued.
US Trout Growers Make $79.7 Million in 2008
US - The total value of fish sales received by trout growers in the United States totaled 79.7 million dollars for 2008, adecrease of 9 per cent from 2007. Idaho accounted for 44 per cent of the total value of fish sold.
