U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins alongside U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan, and Maine Senator Susan Collins announced the creation of the new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Seafood. This first-of-its-kind office will prioritize customer service and ease of navigation for American seafood cultivators, producers, and processors to access USDA programs.
“With the launch of the USDA Office of Seafood, we are honoring decades of hard work on the water and opening the door to new opportunities, stronger support, and a brighter future for the seafood industry. Today’s announcement, in addition to the historic tax cuts and investments in rural America made possible through the priorities and provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts, is truly a new chapter for America’s fishermen,” said Secretary Rollins.
“The Department of the Interior is thrilled to support the establishment of the first-ever Seafood Office at the Department of Agriculture – an initiative that puts the people who help feed America first,” said Secretary Burgum. “American fishermen are the backbone of coastal economies and a vital part of our nation’s food security. By improving coordination across agencies, the Seafood Office will ensure these fishermen can fully access the tools and programs they need to thrive.”
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Seafood Industry
Americans demand seafood, consuming 19.1 pounds per capita in 2023; however, imports account for an estimated 80 percent of that total.
From Maine’s lobstering communities to Alaska’s salmon fisheries to Louisiana’s shrimpers and crawfish farmers, USDA programming should recognize that the U.S. seafood industry is a vital part of the U.S. food supply and should adequately support their operations.
Seafood Policy Era
By creating the USDA Office of Seafood, the Federal government enters a new era of policy where the USDA recognizes American fishermen as a key part of the U.S. food supply.
The new office will coordinate across USDA agencies to integrate fishermen into its programs. It will also work alongside the U.S. Department of Commerce and other Federal partners to revitalize the American seafood industry.
The USDA Office of Seafood will play an important role in coordinating with the U.S. Department of Commerce in developing the America First Seafood Strategy to promote the production, marketing, sale, and export of U.S. fishery and aquaculture products and to strengthen domestic processing capacity.