The US House of Representatives has approved $500,000 (EUR 433,000) in funding for the newly created Office of Seafood as part of the Department of Agriculture’s fiscal 2027 budget.
The measure forms part of a broader effort by US policymakers to expand domestic seafood production and reduce reliance on imports. The Office of Seafood, launched in April, is intended to improve seafood producers’ access to USDA programmes traditionally geared towards agriculture.
The budget package also includes at least $15 million (EUR 13 million) for inspections of imported seafood and overseas processing facilities, while prohibiting the use of federal funds to purchase Chinese seafood for government-backed food programmes.
The funding follows President Donald Trump’s 2025 executive order directing federal agencies to develop an “America First Seafood Strategy” and comes as Congress considers the MARA Act, legislation that would establish a federal framework for commercial-scale offshore aquaculture projects in US waters.
The bill now moves to the Senate.