NOAA seeks input on seafood competitiveness with implications for aquaculture.
NOAA Fisheries has opened a 45-day public comment period as part of a federal effort to strengthen the competitiveness of the US seafood sector, including aquaculture.
The consultation follows an Executive Order signed in April directing the Department of Commerce to revitalise domestic seafood production and trade. Between 2019 and 2023, US seafood landings fell by around 1 billion pounds, according to NOAA.
While much of the focus is on wild-capture fisheries, NOAA said the review will also consider how regulatory changes, data systems and trade policy could support growth in aquaculture, which currently supplies a small share of US demand compared with imports. The US is a net importer of farmed salmon, with domestic production limited to a handful of areas.
Assistant Administrator Eugenio Piñeiro Soler said the consultation was intended to address the decline in seafood landings and revenues, but also to identify opportunities for innovation. NOAA has invited input on modernising data collection, expanding exempted permit programmes, and updating the Seafood Trade Strategy to reflect new global dynamics.
Industry stakeholders are being asked to provide examples of regulatory barriers that limit aquaculture growth, proposals for research and technology investment, and suggestions for how NOAA can improve forecasting and data tools to support producers adapting to changing conditions.
The public comment period will remain open until 14 October 2025.
