MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (AP) -- North Carolina officials say commercial fishing in the state declined by weight last year even as shrimp volume increased to a record high.

  • Commercial fishing in N.C. has declined by weight.
  • It's down 9 percent from the previous year.
  • Biologists say the drop in volume is due to a decrease in hard blue crab landings. 

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries issued a release this month saying fishermen sold about 54 million pounds (24 million kg) of fish and shellfish to North Carolina dealers in 2017. That's down about 9 percent from the previous year and below the five-year average.

But the $96.5 million estimated value of the catch was slightly higher than the previous year.

Biologists say the drop in volume is largely due to a decrease in hard blue crab landings by more than a quarter from the previous year.

Meanwhile, shrimp landings increased to the highest volume on record since the state began its current measurement program in 1994.