ABSTRACT
Humans have been eating seafood since the beginning of recorded history. Ancient Egyptians fished both the Nile and the Mediterranean and practiced pond culture. Archeological evidence indicates that seafood played an important role in the diets of early Americans living in what is now the southeastern United States. Shellfish residue heaps, bone fish hooks, and stone weights that may have been used on fishing nets have been found. About 1863, artificial freezing of fish on a commercial basis began in the United States, particularly in the Great Lakes region. Past emphasis on catching and selling seafood has been on what can be produced and where it can be sold. Consumer confidence in seafood will continue to improve in response to quality control programs and inspection programs similar to those of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). High-technology aquaculture rising of seafood will most certainly be the continuing emphasis of the industry.
