Discover the Top 4 Most Popular Seafoods in America: Shrimp, Salmon, Tuna, Alaskan Pollock

Popular Seafood in America: Shrimp, Salmon, Tuna & Alaska Pollock

Seafood consumption in the United States is concentrated among a relatively small group of familiar species and product categories. NOAA reports that Americans consumed 19.1 pounds of seafood per person in 2023. Shrimp, salmon, tuna and Alaska pollock all play major roles in the U.S. seafood market, but they reach consumers in very different ways.

This guide compares four important seafood categories by flavor, nutrition, culinary use and sourcing. Consumption rankings and volumes change over time, so current NOAA and industry data should be used when exact annual rankings are important.

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1. Shrimp — A Mainstay of the U.S. Seafood Market

Shrimp remains one of the most familiar seafood choices in American kitchens and restaurants. Its appeal comes from mild flavor, quick cooking and exceptional versatility across grilling, frying, boiling, sautéing, pasta, tacos and Asian dishes.

Products sold as shrimp can come from multiple wild and farmed species and many countries. Origin, species, size, processing method and added ingredients can matter as much as the generic word “shrimp.”

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2. Salmon — Rich Flavor and Omega-3s

Salmon occupies a very different position from lean whitefish. Its higher natural fat content gives it a richer flavor and makes salmon an important dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids. U.S. consumers encounter both wild Pacific salmon and farmed Atlantic salmon.

• King (Chinook): rich, high-fat Pacific salmon with a substantial texture.
• Sockeye: deep color and distinctive salmon flavor.
• Coho: moderately rich and versatile.
• Pink: lighter flavor and widely used in value-added and canned products.
• Chum: leaner flesh and commercially important roe.
• Atlantic salmon: primarily farmed in today's commercial market and available year-round.

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3. Tuna — From Canned Seafood to Sashimi

Tuna spans an unusually broad market, from canned skipjack and albacore to premium fresh yellowfin and bluefin used for sashimi. Because tuna species differ substantially in fat content, flavor, price and mercury levels, buyers should pay attention to the species rather than treating all tuna as nutritionally identical.

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4. Alaska Pollock — America’s High-Volume Wild Whitefish

Alaska pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) is one of the most important commercial fish in the United States. NOAA describes the Alaska pollock fishery as the largest U.S. fishery by volume and one of the world’s largest fisheries. Many consumers encounter pollock in fillets, breaded portions, fish sandwiches and surimi products without necessarily recognizing the species name.

Pollock has a mild, clean flavor and relatively fine texture. It should not be described as having the same thick, firm flakes as Pacific cod. That relatively delicate texture, combined with large-scale processing capacity and standardized product forms, helped pollock become important in foodservice and value-added seafood.

Why Alaska Pollock Matters

• Wild-caught U.S. supply: most U.S. Alaska pollock catch comes from the Bering Sea, with additional production from the Gulf of Alaska.
• Large commercial scale: NOAA reports more than 3 billion pounds of Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska commercial pollock landings in 2024.
• Multiple product forms: pollock is processed into fillets, blocks, portions, surimi and roe rather than being one uniform retail product.
• Science-based management: U.S. Alaska pollock is managed by NOAA Fisheries and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under federal groundfish management plans.
• Low-mercury choice: FDA/EPA fish advice places pollock among its “Best Choices” based on mercury.

Processing and Freezing History Matter

Two pollock fillets can carry the same species name and still differ in quality and processing history. A single-frozen final product is made from fresh/raw fish and frozen once. A twice-frozen product commonly starts as frozen H&G pollock, is later thawed for secondary processing and then frozen again. IQF and FAS terminology alone does not establish the number of freeze cycles.

For the detailed technical explanation, read Single-Frozen vs Twice-Frozen Alaska Pollock.

First-Hand Processing Perspective

I have worked in the seafood industry since 1993, including six years directly with Russian pollock factory-trawler operations producing fillets, mince, surimi, roe, fishmeal and fish oil, followed by decades of seafood processing and sales work connected with Alaska. That experience is why I treat “pollock” as a production specification, not simply a species name: raw-material condition, processing sequence, freezing capacity, product form and cold-chain control all affect the final product.

For the factory sequence, see How Alaska Pollock Is Processed.

Shop Alaska Pollock Fillets

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How the Four Compare

Seafood	General Character	Typical Uses	Buying Consideration
Shrimp	Mild, firm	Grilling, sautéing, frying, boiling	Species, origin, size, ingredients
Salmon	Richer, higher-fat fish	Grilling, baking, smoking, raw preparations when appropriate	Species, wild vs farmed, origin
Tuna	Varies greatly by species and cut	Canned products, steaks, poke, sashimi	Species, cut, mercury guidance, handling
Alaska Pollock	Mild, lean, relatively fine texture	Fillets, breaded portions, sandwiches, tacos, surimi	Product form and freezing/processing history

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Domestic Seafood and Imports

The United States is both a major seafood producer and a major seafood importer. NOAA’s 2023 Fisheries of the United States report estimates that about 80% of seafood consumed in the United States in 2023 came from foreign imports. That figure should be tied to its reporting year rather than presented as a permanent percentage.

Country of harvest and country of final processing can also be different. For whitefish in particular, buyers should check species, harvest origin, processing origin, ingredients and freezing history rather than assuming that a domestic species name tells the complete supply-chain story.

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Learn More About Alaska Pollock

• What Is Alaska Pollock?
• How Alaska Pollock Is Processed
• Single-Frozen vs Twice-Frozen Alaska Pollock
• Is Alaska Pollock Healthy?
• Is Alaska Pollock Sustainable?
• Alaska Pollock vs Pacific Cod

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Alaska pollock the same as cod?

No. Alaska pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) and Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) are separate species in the cod family. Pacific cod is generally firmer with thicker, more defined flakes; pollock has a finer, more delicate texture.

Is Alaska pollock sustainable?

NOAA describes U.S. wild-caught Alaska pollock as sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. Sustainability should still be understood in the context of specific stocks, current assessments, catch limits, monitoring and bycatch management rather than as an unqualified permanent label.

Why is Alaska pollock used so widely in foodservice?

Its mild flavor, large managed fishery, standardized processing, frozen product formats and ability to be made into consistent portions have made it well suited to high-volume foodservice applications.

Does IQF mean pollock is single-frozen?

No. IQF describes a freezing/product format. It does not by itself establish whether the raw material was previously frozen and thawed.

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About the Author

Oleg Nikitenko has worked in the seafood industry since 1993. His experience includes commercial fishing operations, marine engineering, factory processing equipment, Alaska seafood production, international seafood markets and seafood sales. His pollock experience includes six years working directly with Russian factory-trawler operations producing fillets, mince, surimi, roe, fishmeal and fish oil. He is the founder of Global Seafoods North America.

Reviewed and updated: September 2026.