✍️ Guest Post: “Growing” American Seafood

This is a repost from NOAA Fisheries’s News blog, which showcases a new report that details the science, planning, and investments NOAA’s Aquaculture Program has made to foster sustainable domestic aquaculture growth.

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NOAA’s “Aquaculture Highlights” report showcases NOAA’s commitment to propelling the U.S. forward as a dominant global leader in sustainable aquaculture. It highlights NOAA’s mission to create conditions for the opportunity and growth of sustainable U.S. aquaculture. For the first time, NOAA’s scientific, extension, and planning efforts supporting aquaculture growers across the agency are showcased in one report for the public. 

Produced responsibly, as it is here in the United States, farmed seafood is good for people, the environment, and the economy. Seafood, wild and farmed, is one of the best sources of nutrients essential for human well-being. Aquaculture is a resource-efficient way to grow protein, improve nutrition, and support coastal economies. 

Aquaculture Highlights

Science Accomplishments 

• Launching a state-of-the-art Northeast Oyster Breeding Center to develop superior oyster strains for commercial growers in the Northeast 
• Pioneering a new fish species, sablefish, to commercial viability for U.S. farmers 
• Developing new technologies to monitor harmful algal blooms responsible for paralytic shellfish toxins, helping improve safety and help shellfish farmers 

Aquaculture Planning Accomplishments 

• Working across the federal government to prepare a holistic aquaculture framework in the National Aquaculture Development Plan that strengthened food security and jobs, as well as addressed the seafood deficit
• Working with partners in Washington to prepare a new guide enhancing transparency for shellfish permitting, making it more efficient for shellfish farmers growing oysters, mussels, clams, geoducks, and other shellfish
• Providing a nationwide siting analysis to find suitable locations for commercial aquaculture development, using the best science and spatial planning 

Strategic Investments in Aquaculture 

• Investing $20 million across its national, state, and territorial competitive funding opportunities, establishing 86 projects in 2024 

NOAA’s Aquaculture Program provides science, services, and policies that create conditions for opportunity and growth of sustainable U.S. aquaculture. From 2018 to 2022, NOAA’s federal investment resulted in a yearly average of $69.6 million in economic impact. These investments benefited 572 businesses, supported 1,147 jobs, and contributed to 71 scientific publications

To learn more about how NOAA’s Aquaculture Program is working to support domestic aquaculture growth, view our new report.