Fresh salmon fillet with aromatic herbs, spices and vegetables. Balanced diet or cooking concept

By Rasmus Soerensen, Chief Commercial Officer of American Seafoods

Key Takeaways:

  • Despite seafood being 17% of global protein intake, U.S. seafood consumption has remained stagnant at 48 pounds per capita since 2000, while other countries like Italy have seen significant growth in consumption.
  • The perception that seafood isn’t fresh or convenient in non-coastal areas is outdated, as modern freezing-at-sea technology allows for high-quality seafood distribution anywhere while maintaining freshness and taste.
  • Wild Alaska Pollock exemplifies the benefits of seafood consumption — it’s more affordable than chicken and beef, nutritionally superior with omega-3s and lean protein, and has a significantly lower environmental impact, requiring zero freshwater and producing far less CO2 emissions.


On the global stage, Americans love to “win,” even when it comes to food consumption. On a per capita basis, Americans consume more chicken, cheese, soft drinks, and sweeteners than most countries across the world. But with strong consumer tailwinds focusing on “greener foods” that deliver on health and nutrition promises, it’s clear that Americans are lagging behind, especially in one key category.

Seafood represents approximately 17% of the world’s protein intake and is the primary protein source for approximately three billion people — nearly half of our planet. 

However, this growth isn’t uniform, and the United States is falling behind.

It’s certainly not a matter of the quality of local offerings. From salmon to delicious bluefin tuna, parts of the U.S. are renowned for their seafood varieties. And yet, despite these various options, the growth of seafood demand is stagnant.

For perspective, the United States consumed about 48 pounds of seafood and fish per capita in 2021, the same amount consumed in 2000. Compare this lack of growth to Italy, which consumed more than 64 pounds of seafood and fish in 2021, up from 48 pounds in 2000.

Domestically, our traditional farm-raised meats continue to dominate, mostly because seafood demand has had difficulty gaining traction in the middle of the country. Aside from our coastal regions, Americans eat far more red meat than seafood products.

I believe two driving factors are behind this trend: the perception of convenience and freshness. 

The value of frozen-at-sea fish

In a 2024 report from Deloitte, 52% of consumers value convenience more than they had in the past, while 84% of grocers say convenience is key to increasing sales. In addition, although 82% of shoppers choose convenience over fresh food, 66% would pay a premium for fresh options. Consumers are also becoming increasingly focused on product sourcing, health benefits, and environmental impact.

When it comes to the heartland center of the United States, the perception is that it is less likely to have fresh fish if it’s coming from the coasts. However, this belief couldn’t be further from the truth.

In today’s modern era, technology enables significant advancements in transportation and quality protection. In commercial fishing, the ability to freeze harvests at sea has opened up new markets to high quality seafood. Although a simple idea, freezing fish at sea is a game-changer that allows fishermen to essentially ship the product anywhere in the world without sacrificing its pristine freshness, taste, and quality. 

Immediately frozen, the catch tastes as if it was freshly caught even if a consumer is eating it long after it was pulled from the ocean. While shipping fresh seafood to the middle of the U.S. might have been impossible many years ago, today it is a reality. The fish is just as delicious in the Midwest as it would be if purchased on our coastlines.

The path for America to catch up

While seafood meets consumer demand for taste, cost, and health, the challenge for our industry has always been consumer education. Historically, the seafood industry has not done a good job of highlighting the benefits of its products. These include nutritional benefits, product value, consistent availability, and affordability. Most consumers just aren’t aware of what seafood can bring to their lives, and even 12% say they never eat seafood, according to a Technomic report.

By investing in marketing programs and targeted social media ads, the industry will be able to spread the word about its products’ benefits for consumers who normally aren’t considering them. Doing so will take some innovation, getting out of long-held comfort zones – but it is paramount that consumers have a true, modern understanding about seafood’s availability and quality.

The benefits

By way of example, wild Alaska pollock is one example of fish that is more affordable compared to chicken and beef, and with more nutritional benefits. It is highly convenient and flexible, low in unhealthy fats – particularly animal fats found in meats like chicken and beef – and contains nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids that support heart health. For every serving of wild Alaska pollock, there are 20 grams of protein, only 90 calories, and less than one gram of fat.

Further, frozen-at-sea wild Alaska pollock requires zero gallons of freshwater to produce 3.5 oz. of food. In contrast, it takes more than 750 gallons to produce the same amount of beef. Overall, every pound of pollock product accounts for roughly 2.2-2.3 lbs. of CO2-e, while 1 lb. of beef accounts for 130 pounds of CO2-e in the atmosphere. For further perspective, beef burgers produce more than 200 lbs. CO2-e compared to 1.8 lbs. for pollock fish sandwiches. It’s not just the beef industry that pollock compares favorably to, as chickens are responsible for about four times more CO2-e. Wild Alaska pollock products even stack up favorably to non-meat products such as tofu.

More awareness = people eating more fish and less carbon emissions

If we as an industry can show consumers why they should be eating more fish — if not for themselves, than for the planet — and that they can trust the fish they buy no matter where in the country they are, we can address this stagnant growth in consumption rates that we have seen over the past 20 years or so. 

For Americans to keep winning on the global stage, it’s more than time to prioritize seafood — for our wallets, for our planet, for our taste buds, and for our health.

Rasmus Soerensen is the Chief Commercial Officer of American Seafoods, a global leader in sustainable protein and one of the world’s largest at-sea processors of wild Alaska pollock and wild Pacific hake, where he oversees production planning, worldwide sales, and all marketing activities. For more than 20 years, Rasmus has helped support and guide American Seafoods’ business development initiatives as the company yields more than one billion servings of sustainable seafood annually. In addition to American Seafoods, he also serves as Chairman of the Board of SeaShare, a leading non-profit organization helping the seafood industry donate to hunger-relief efforts in the United States.

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