Democrats’ sweeping victories in the United States midterm elections could have major ramifications on Congress’ approach to seafood and fisheries policy, though U.S. President Donald Trump will still play a substantial role in setting the agenda.
While results in some races are still being tabulated days after the election, Democrats have picked up seven seats in the U.S. Senate and 41 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives so far, giving them solid majorities and replacing Republican control across Congress. Republicans will still control Congress for several weeks, but it’s unlikely they will pass major legislation during the lame duck session. When incoming lawmakers are sworn in in January, Democrats will have an opportunity to reshape substantial policy bills like the fiscal year 2027 budget bills and the Farm Bill, while control of Congressional committees gives Democrats a stronger position to push back on Trump’s unilateral attempts to rewrite trade and environmental policy.
Congressional Republicans pushed back fiscal year 2027 budget deadlines in September by passing a short-term budget extension through the elections; however, that extension is set to expire 15 December. Republicans could push to pass full appropriations bills in the next few weeks, though the more likely outcome is another short-term extension that keeps the government funded into the new year. That will leave Democrats in the driver’s seat in shaping spending for the remainder of fiscal year 2027, as well as for fiscal year 2028.
Under Trump’s leadership, Republicans – especially in the House – have pushed for substantial cuts to staff and spending at NOAA and other government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Democrats have been highly critical of those cuts and will now be able to push to reverse them, directing federal investments to the environmental priorities that Trump was keen on dumping.
On another front, the seafood industry has long pushed to advance its support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Farm Bill – the nation’s signature piece of agriculture policy legislation. The last Farm Bill was passed in 2018 and was due for renewal five years later, but Congress has been unable to approve a renewal bill for years, instead opting for multiple extensions of the 2018 bill. Republicans made a push for an extension this year, with the House passing its version of the Farm Bill in May and a Senate committee advancing its version in September. Both versions included key provisions the seafood industry has celebrated, such as securing access to USDA loans for commercial fishers and codification of the USDA Office of Seafood.
However, differences remain between the two bills, and Democrats have expressed opposition to the legislation, primarily around changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). With only a smattering of legislative days left on the calendar before the end of the year, it’s likely Democrats will be able to wait until 2027, ditch the Republican-authored Farm Bill, and write their own version instead. Whether the seafood industry provisions will be included in a potential rewrite is unclear; the provision authorizing loans for commercial fishers has already received pushback from the aquaculture industry.
Democrats will also be in a better position to limit or reverse Trump’s attempts to unilaterally roll back environmental protections. This year, the Trump administration has rewritten Endangered Species Act (ESA) rules to remove habitat considerations and is considering allowing accidental killings of endangered animals – two changes that would have major ramifications for how the commercial fishing sector interacts with marine life and the wider ocean environment. Democrats have lambasted both changes, and lawmakers have already introduced legislation to undo Trump’s redefinition of “harm.”
“This essential legislation will reverse the Trump administration’s recent rule eliminating habitat protections outlined in the 1975 Endangered Species Act,” U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (D-Illinois) said. “As co-chair of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, I’m honored to continue fighting for our wildlife and the endangered species around us.”
The 2026 elections will also see some lawmakers who were pushing high-profile seafood legislation leave office. U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) was voted out of office, and U.S. Representative Jared Golden (D-Maine) did not run for another term; the two have been vocal in pushing for an extension of a moratorium on new regulations of the Maine lobster industry related to endangered North Atlantic right whales.
In Alaska, where votes are still being tallied, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) is in a tight race with former U.S. Representative Mary Peltola (D-Alaska). Sullivan has been a leading voice for bans on seafood from Russia and China and, this year, has advocated for legislation tackling illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing and updating trawling regulations. Trawling has been a major issue in the Alaska Senate race, with Peltola heavily criticizing bycatch from the state's massive pollock fishery.
Despite the massive electoral loss for Republicans, Trump will still have a heavy hand in shaping U.S. seafood and aquaculture policy throughout the remainder of his term. In October, the White House unveiled the America First Seafood Strategy, introducing a voluntary “U.S.-Caught Seafood label” for domestic products and outlining the administration’s goals for increasing seafood processing capacity, streamlining the aquaculture permitting process, and more. At the same time, USDA announced the forthcoming availability of USD 5 billion (EUR 4.5 billion) in loans to expand meat and seafood processing and a new USD 8 billion (EUR 7.1 billion) Harvest Fuel Relief program to address the impacts of higher fuel prices faced by farmers and fishers.
The administration is also carrying out work required under Trump’s Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness executive order issued in April 2025. Over the summer, the White House sent lists of deregulatory priorities to the eight U.S. regional fishery management councils, and NOAA Fisheries unveiled its own agenda for cutting regulations in the commercial fishing sector.
