NAICS 112512

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal statistical standard for classifying business establishments to support the collection and publication of U.S. economic data. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget with Canada and Mexico, NAICS replaced the SIC system in 1997 to improve cross-country comparability; current federal tools and releases are based on the 2022 NAICS vintage. ¹

NAICS 112512 — Shellfish Farming — covers U.S. establishments primarily engaged in farm-raising shellfish such as crayfish, shrimp, oysters, clams, and other mollusks. It is distinct from wild harvest activities, which are classified under NAICS 114112 Shellfish Fishing. ³

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 112512 overview
• G2X — NAICS 112511
• G2X — NAICS 112519

What this NAICS covers

• Farm raising of shellfish species for commercial sale, including oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, and crayfish. ³
• Aquaculture operations that use interventions such as holding in captivity, regular stocking, feeding, and predator protection to enhance production. ³
• Cultivation and husbandry activities integral to grow-out of mollusks (e.g., oysters, clams, mussels) in aquaculture settings. ³
• Cultivation and husbandry activities integral to grow-out of crustaceans (e.g., shrimp, crayfish) in aquaculture settings. ³
• Establishments whose primary activity is shellfish aquaculture rather than capture from natural habitats. ³

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	112511	Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries
NAICS	114112	Shellfish Fishing
PSC	F020	Natural Resources/Conservation — Fisheries Resources Management
PSC	F022	Natural Resources/Conservation — Fish Hatchery

Boundaries and exclusions

• Wild harvest of shellfish from natural habitats is not included here; it is classified in NAICS 114112 Shellfish Fishing. ³
• Shucking and packing fresh shellfish, and canning/freezing or other seafood processing, fall under manufacturing in NAICS 311710 Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging. ⁴
• Farm raising of finfish is classified in NAICS 112511; aquaculture of other animals (e.g., alligators, frogs, turtles) is classified in NAICS 112519. ³

Frequently asked questions

• What activities are included under NAICS 112512?
  Establishments that primarily farm-raise shellfish (e.g., oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, crayfish) using aquaculture interventions are included. The emphasis is on cultivation rather than wild capture. ³
  See also on G2X: NAICS 112512.

• How is NAICS 112512 different from NAICS 114112 Shellfish Fishing?
  NAICS 112512 covers farm-raised shellfish; NAICS 114112 covers the commercial catching or taking of shellfish from natural habitats. Classification hinges on aquaculture versus wild harvest. ³
  See also on G2X: NAICS 114112.

• Does shellfish processing or shucking belong in NAICS 112512?
  No. Processing activities such as shucking/packing fresh shellfish, canning, smoking, salting, drying, or freezing are classified in manufacturing under NAICS 311710. ⁴
  See also on G2X: NAICS 311710.

• Which PSCs often align with shellfish aquaculture work?
  Agencies may use natural-resources management PSCs such as PSC F020 (Fisheries Resources Management) and PSC F022 (Fish Hatchery) when procuring fisheries or hatchery services associated with aquaculture programs. ⁶
  See also on G2X: PSC F020, PSC F022.

• What NAICS vintage applies to current Census releases for this industry?
  Census economic programs are transitioning to the 2022 NAICS vintage; the 2022 Economic Census and other series now publish detailed industry statistics on a 2022 NAICS basis as implementation proceeds through 2027. ²

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 112512 page: https://app.g2xchange.com/naics/112512
• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS main page and 2022 NAICS search. ¹
• Census — Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (timeline and impacts). ²
• 2022 Economic Census — Sector 11 (Agriculture) landing page. ⁵
• Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual — current edition. ⁶

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) — main page and 2022 search. https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=ec&year=2022
2. U.S. Census Bureau. The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html
3. U.S. Census Bureau. Sector 11 — Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (includes definitions for 11251 and U.S. industry 112512; cross-references to 114112). https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect11.html
4. U.S. Census Bureau. Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (3117/311710) — industry description and scope. https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect31-33.html
5. U.S. Census Bureau. 2022 NAICS Sector 11 — Agriculture: Economic Census landing. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/naics-sector-11.html
6. General Services Administration. Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual — April 2025 Edition. https://origin-www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf