U.S. President Donald Trump has issued an American First Seafood Strategy to boost the nation’s seafood, aquaculture, and commercial fishing policies, complete with a new voluntary “U.S.-Caught Seafood” for domestic products.
“The species managed in U.S. waters are American icons – from Maine lobster to Gulf shrimp, from Alaskan salmon to Florida stone crab, American seafood is a rich part of U.S. history and our vibrant coastal economy,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a release. “The America First Seafood Strategy ensures that the future of seafood in the United States will be built by American fishermen, American workers, and American industry – not by foreign imports.”
The five pillars identified in the strategy are:
- American Seafood First: Labeling, Marketing, and Market Access;
- Rebuilding America’s Seafood Infrastructure and Processing Capacity;
- Fair Trade and Import Compliance and Enforcement;
- Regulatory Reform and Industry Partnership; and
- Strengthening American Health Through Seafood.
Most visibly, the strategy includes the introduction of a new voluntary seafood designation that can be applied to products harvested by domestic commercial fishermen on U.S.-flagged vessels.
"The U.S. Caught Seafood label is a major win for consumers, American fishermen, seafood processors, and retailers alike,” New England Fishermen's Stewardship Association (NEFSA) Director of Advocacy Jason Joyce said in a statement. “Our fishermen comply with some of the highest regulatory, health, safety, and environmental standards in the world, and consumers deserve to know that their seafood is harvested safely and sustainably by American fishermen. We believe U.S. seafood is the most sustainably harvested in the world, and this label gives consumers a simple, recognizable way to identify American-caught seafood while supporting our domestic fishing, processing, and retail industries."
The government also plans to launch a nationwide “Eat American Seafood” campaign and established seafood.gov as a hub for its seafood-focused policies. Other steps the Trump administration announced include increasing procurement of domestic seafood in federal program, modernizing outdated market names, a
The Trump administration also stated a goal of increasing seafood infrastructure and capacity by reopening and modernizing processing facilities, expanding cold-storage capacity, improving vessel financing and modernization opportunities, and speeding up environmental and administrative reviews.
“A strong fishing industry needs vessels and ports that can carry it into the future,” Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association Executive Director Ben Martens said in a release. “For an independent fisherman, replacing an aging boat or upgrading an engine can be an enormous financial hurdle. We welcome the attention to fleet and port modernization and access to financing. These are practical investments in safer operations, stronger businesses, and waterfronts that can continue serving their communities for generations.”
On trade and imports, the federal government plans to strengthen enforcement of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) and continue pushing through the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to address foreign subsidies, non-reciprocal barriers, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The strategy also formally declares the Trump administration’s intent to create a more predictable permitting process for aquaculture in federal waters – something aquaculture advocates have long sought.
“The National Seafood Association applauds the Trump Administration for recognizing the essential role seafood plays in America’s economic health and public health. A robust commercial seafood sector and an emphasis on affordable, healthy, protein-focused nutrition work together to benefit Americans,” NSA President and CEO Lisa Wallenda Picard said in a statement. “We see great promise in a holistic plan that prioritizes rebuilding infrastructure, eliminating regulatory barriers, and encouraging investment in the commercial seafood sector.”
The strategy builds on the Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness executive order Trump released in his first term, which directed his government to identify ways to boost commercial fishing and aquaculture. The administration followed up by sending deregulatory wish lists to the nation’s regional fisheries management councils and announcing NOAA Fisheries’ priorities in carrying out the executive order.
