This data set contains annual quantities and value for all seafood products that are landed and sold by established seafood dealers and brokers in the Southeast Region (North Carolina through Texas). These types of data, referred to as the general canvass landings statistics, have been collected by the NOAA Fisheries Service, National Marine Fisheries Service and its predecessor agency, the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. The data are available on computer since the early 1960's. The quantities and values that are reported in this data set include the annual landings that were initiated in 1962. Beginning in 1976, the data were collected monthly. See the sections on Links for the reference to the monthly general canvass landings.

The annual general canvass landings include quantities and value for all living marine species and are identified by species (usually the local or common name). These data were collected by field agents employed by the National Marine Fisheries Service or the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries and assigned to local fishing ports. The agents contacted the majority of the seafood dealers or brokers in their assigned areas and recorded the quantities and value for each species or species category from the sales receipts maintained by the seafood dealers. In addition, information on the gear and area of capture is available for most of the landings statistics in the data set. Based on their knowledge of the fishing activity in the area, the agents would estimate the type of fishing gear and area where the fishing was likely to have occurred. More detailed information on the caveats associated with these data is provided in the Characteristics, Caveats and Issues section. However, because these data are summaries, they do not contain information on the quantities of fishing effort or identifications of the fishermen or vessels that caught the fish or shellfish.