Idaho accounted for 52 percent of the $102.5 million worth of trout sales in 2014, up from 42 percent in the preceding year, said the USDA’s annual Trout Production report. The value of trout production was up by 5 percent from 2013 due to greater output. Idaho had sales of $53 million. North Carolina ranked second in trout sales at $7.9 million and Arkansas was third at $5 million.
Washington State and California were the leaders for “distributed trout,” the category for fish intended for “restoration, conservation, enhancement or recreational purposes, primarily by state and federal hatcheries.” Estimated value of distributed fish was $110.8 million. Washington State’s share was $20.7 million and California’s was $12.8 million. Idaho was third, at $9 million.