SATS brings aquaculture message to Capitol Hill.
Industry coalition Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS) is hosting a two-day fly-in on Capitol Hill this week to press the case for expanding fish farming in U.S. federal waters.
The group, which includes companies such as Cargill, Fortune Fish & Gourmet, Innovasea, Sysco and Zeigler, is meeting with members of Congress and staff to highlight the potential of offshore aquaculture to boost domestic seafood production and create jobs.
Central to the discussions will be the bipartisan Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act, introduced in July by Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Roger Wicker (R-MS). The bill seeks to advance commercial-scale open ocean aquaculture by clarifying permitting processes and reducing regulatory barriers.
Supporters say expanding U.S. aquaculture would strengthen food security, reduce reliance on imports, and provide new opportunities for coastal economies and inland agriculture. The United States currently ranks 18th globally in seafood production, with the majority of fish consumed domestically sourced from overseas, much of it farmed.
SATS president Chris Stock said the fly-in comes at a moment of growing bipartisan momentum. “Public awareness of aquaculture as an increasingly important means to sustainably feed our nation has never been higher,” he said. “The time for action is now.”
