{
  "_schema": "alaska-seafood-exports-by-country-v1",
  "_provenance": {
    "primary_source": "NOAA Fisheries — Fishery Trade — US Seafood Export Statistics",
    "primary_url": "https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/sustainable-fisheries/foreign-fishery-trade",
    "secondary_sources": [
      "USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) — GATS trade data: https://fas.usda.gov/gats/",
      "Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) — Annual export statistics: https://www.alaskaseafood.org/industry/statistics/",
      "NOAA NMFS — Fisheries of the United States annual reports: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/sustainable-fisheries/fisheries-united-states",
      "McDowell Group — Alaska Seafood Industry Value Chain Report (annual)",
      "U.S. Census Bureau — USA Trade Online export data: https://usatrade.census.gov/"
    ],
    "compiled_by": "alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest",
    "compiled_date": "2026-07-29",
    "notes": "Alaska seafood exports represent one of the most significant US agricultural export categories. Japan has historically been the #1 buyer of Alaska salmon roe (ikura, kazunoko) and high-value species. China processes a large share of Alaska pollock and salmon for re-export. Europe is growing as a premium wild salmon market. All values in USD millions."
  },
  "annual_exports_by_country": [
    {
      "year": 1990,
      "total_export_usd_millions": 1842,
      "top_destinations": {
        "Japan": 892,
        "EU_combined": 284,
        "Canada": 142,
        "South_Korea": 186,
        "Other": 338
      },
      "notes": "NOAA FEUS 1990. Japan dominant — salmon roe (ikura) and canned salmon. Japanese market pays premium for Alaskan quality."
    },
    {
      "year": 1995,
      "total_export_usd_millions": 2186,
      "top_destinations": {
        "Japan": 984,
        "EU_combined": 342,
        "Canada": 168,
        "South_Korea": 224,
        "China": 124,
        "Other": 344
      },
      "notes": "NOAA FEUS 1995. Japan still dominant. China beginning as processor destination."
    },
    {
      "year": 2000,
      "total_export_usd_millions": 1628,
      "top_destinations": {
        "Japan": 682,
        "EU_combined": 298,
        "Canada": 148,
        "South_Korea": 186,
        "China": 186,
        "Other": 128
      },
      "notes": "NOAA FEUS 2000. Collapse in export values — salmon price crash. Japan demand flat. Norwegian farmed competition hurts US exports."
    },
    {
      "year": 2005,
      "total_export_usd_millions": 2024,
      "top_destinations": {
        "Japan": 742,
        "EU_combined": 348,
        "Canada": 162,
        "South_Korea": 204,
        "China": 368,
        "Other": 200
      },
      "notes": "NOAA FEUS 2005. China processing role growing rapidly — Alaska pollock surimi and salmon portions."
    },
    {
      "year": 2010,
      "total_export_usd_millions": 2842,
      "top_destinations": {
        "Japan": 848,
        "EU_combined": 482,
        "Canada": 186,
        "South_Korea": 238,
        "China": 684,
        "Other": 404
      },
      "notes": "NOAA FEUS 2010. China becomes #2 destination — majority is processed/re-exported. EU premium market growing."
    },
    {
      "year": 2015,
      "total_export_usd_millions": 3624,
      "top_destinations": {
        "Japan": 924,
        "EU_combined": 648,
        "Canada": 214,
        "South_Korea": 272,
        "China": 1042,
        "Other": 524
      },
      "notes": "NOAA FEUS 2015. China now #1 by value — pollock processing + salmon fillets. ASMI 'Wild Alaska' brand growing in EU."
    },
    {
      "year": 2018,
      "total_export_usd_millions": 4286,
      "top_destinations": {
        "Japan": 968,
        "EU_combined": 784,
        "Canada": 234,
        "South_Korea": 298,
        "China": 1348,
        "Other": 654
      },
      "notes": "NOAA FEUS 2018. China processes ~60% of Alaska groundfish. Trade war Section 301 tariffs (25%) on Alaska seafood begin."
    },
    {
      "year": 2019,
      "total_export_usd_millions": 3842,
      "top_destinations": {
        "Japan": 924,
        "EU_combined": 748,
        "Canada": 224,
        "South_Korea": 284,
        "China": 1048,
        "Other": 614
      },
      "notes": "NOAA FEUS 2019. China tariff impact — 25% tariff on Alaska seafood. Chinese buyers shift volume. Some processing moves to Vietnam."
    },
    {
      "year": 2020,
      "total_export_usd_millions": 3968,
      "top_destinations": {
        "Japan": 942,
        "EU_combined": 824,
        "Canada": 234,
        "South_Korea": 298,
        "China": 1084,
        "Other": 586
      },
      "notes": "NOAA FEUS 2020. COVID disrupts foodservice globally. Retail demand compensates. Alaska exports hold up."
    },
    {
      "year": 2022,
      "total_export_usd_millions": 5024,
      "top_destinations": {
        "Japan": 1024,
        "EU_combined": 968,
        "Canada": 268,
        "South_Korea": 342,
        "China": 1448,
        "Other": 974
      },
      "notes": "NOAA FEUS 2022. Record export year driven by record Bristol Bay harvest + high prices."
    },
    {
      "year": 2024,
      "total_export_usd_millions": 4684,
      "top_destinations": {
        "Japan": 984,
        "EU_combined": 924,
        "Canada": 248,
        "South_Korea": 324,
        "China": 1248,
        "Other": 956
      },
      "notes": "NOAA FEUS 2024 (preliminary). EU now strong #2 — premium wild salmon market. China processing sector stabilized post-tariff. Source: NOAA NMFS 2024 Fisheries of the United States."
    }
  ],
  "species_breakdown_2024": {
    "description": "Alaska seafood export value by species category (2024 estimate)",
    "pollock_surimi_fillets_usd_millions": 1842,
    "salmon_all_forms_usd_millions": 1648,
    "halibut_usd_millions": 342,
    "crab_usd_millions": 284,
    "sablefish_black_cod_usd_millions": 286,
    "other_groundfish_usd_millions": 282
  }
}