Browse Data and Analysis

Korean seafood imports totaled $5.93 billion in 2023, down 8.3 percent from 2022. Korean 2023 seafood imports from the United States totaled $203 million, a decrease of 11.4 percent year-to-year.

The China Fisheries and Seafood Expo (CFSE) will be held from October 30th to November 1st, 2024, in Qingdao, Shandong Province. As one of the most influential and the world’s largest seafood industry show in the world, CFSE showcases various aquatic and seafood products for trade and processing.

Taiwan's overall seafood imports declined to US$1.9 billion in 2023, down 11 percent from 2022. Seafood exports from the United States, however, grew by 40 percent, and amounted to nearly US$45 million. Among the top ten foreign suppliers, the United States is the only one that expanded exports.

China remained the world's largest seafood producer in 2023, with official production estimated at 71 million metric tons (MMT), up 3.5 percent from 2022.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) is one of the largest producers and consumers of seafood in the world. In particular, live seafood products represent a significant market opportunity given the United States advanced cold chain facilities and ability to transport live seafood.

Effective January 1, 2024, Taiwan reduced the number of U.S. seafood products eligible for export to Taiwan. The change reduces the number of eligible seafood HS codes from 65 to 55.

Ample opportunities exist for U.S. agricultural exports to South Korea. Highlighted in the chart above, U.S. agricultural product exports were a record $9.5 billion in 2022, up 2 percent from 2021. South Korea is the sixth largest export market for the United States, thanks in part to a successful free trade agreement (KORUS) between the two countries and a robust demand for high-quality U.S. food products.

Korean seafood imports totaled $6.47 billion in 2022, up 12.7 percent from the year before. Seafood for human consumption imported from the United States to Korea in 2022 reached $229 million, an increase of 5.6 percent year-to-year. The United...

On August 24, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) suspended all imports of aquatic products (including edible aquatic animals) from Japan, effective immediately.

Japan is one of the world’s leading consumers of seafood. In 2022, it imported $15 billion of seafood products, making it the world’s third largest importer. Half of Japan’s seafood demand is met by imports. The United States is the third largest seafood supplier to Japan, specializing in salmon, cod, pollock, herring, crab, and lobster.

Taiwan’s overall seafood imports reached US$2.1 billion in 2022, up 20 percent from 2021, with imports from the United States decreasing slightly to US$32 million.

China remained the world's largest seafood producer in 2022, with production expected to reach 67.5 million metric tons (MMT), up from the 66.9 MMT in 2021. Production growth continues to be driven by aquaculture which is expected to increase 1.2 percent year-on-year to reach 54.6 MMT in 2022.