The Trump administration released the America First Seafood Strategy, a federal plan to expand domestic seafood production, rebuild processing capacity and set clearer permitting standards for marine aquaculture in federal waters.
The White House said in a fact sheet that it is also making more than $5 billion in guaranteed loans available through USDA to modernize meat and seafood processing. The strategy otherwise relies on existing authorities and programs rather than new spending, according to NOAA in its release. It follows an April 2025 executive order on restoring American seafood competitiveness.
For aquafeed suppliers, the aquaculture provision matters most. NOAA said it will work with permitting partners to set clearer standards and guidance for marine aquaculture in federal waters, giving more predictability for domestic aquaculture to expand. Clearer permitting could attract private investment and reduce reliance on imports, according to a NOAA Fisheries summary. The strategy sets no production targets or timelines for that work.
The Food and Drug Administration is proposing a voluntary "U.S. Caught Seafood" label, which is available for download at Seafood.gov, a new federal website. NOAA describes the designation as covering seafood harvested by American commercial fishermen on U.S.-flagged vessels under U.S. management. Neither agency said whether farmed seafood would qualify.
On infrastructure, federal agencies will streamline permitting for cold storage, wet storage, docks, shipyards and processing plants. They will also lean on existing financing from USDA, the Small Business Administration and NOAA. On trade, NOAA will strengthen enforcement of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program and target high-risk imports.
"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," Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said.
Federal agencies will also launch a nationwide "Eat American Seafood" campaign, and health agencies will update dietary guidance on seafood where needed.
NOAA said it will measure progress by gains in domestic production and processing, private capital deployed, jobs supported and reduced reliance on foreign supply chains. An annual report will track seafood trade imbalances and market-access barriers.
