A new USDA Office of Seafood aims to better integrate the fishing industry into federal food policy as US leaders look to shore up domestic production and reduce the country’s multibillion dollar seafood trade deficit.
The office will “prioritize customer service and ease of navigation for American seafood cultivators, producers and processors to access USDA programs,” according to USDA.
“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,” said Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.
A win for the fishing industry
The new office was announced on the week of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which governs marine fisheries in US federal waters.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act – named after US Sens. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Warren Magnuson (D-Wash.) – provides long-term economic stability for the fishing industry. However, USDA noted that over the years, those in the fishing industry “have been struggling to navigate programs at USDA that can help support their business.”
Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) has long advocated for the creation of the Office of Seafood to support Alaska’s seafood industry, a goal he included in his National Seafood Supply Act proposal in 2023, he said in a press release.
“Alaska’s fishermen deserve the same federal attention, resources and risk management tools afforded to America’s incredible farmers,” said Sullivan. “The new USDA Office of Seafood – an action I’ve been strongly advocating for over the past decade – opens the door to that opportunity. This office is going to benefit everybody: all of Alaska’s fishermen, our small businesses and our many coastal and Interior communities from across the state.”
Sullivan added that the new office will create a stronger partnership between the fishing industry, USDA, Department of Commerce and the Executive Branch.
“Establishing an office of seafood within the USDA has been a collective vision of the US seafood industry for many years,” said Jeremy Woodrow, executive director of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. “Just like our country’s farmers, America’s fishermen feed the world. Establishing this office will provide greater access to USDA programs and alignment with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to ensure that our fishermen and seafood industry continues to thrive well into the future.”
Restoring competitiveness in fishing
The Office of Seafood also supports President Donald Trump’s April 2025 Executive Order 14276, Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, according to USDA.
The executive order claims that overregulation and unfair trade practices “put our seafood markets at a competitive disadvantage,” with nearly 90% of seafood products in the US imported for a seafood trade deficit of more than $20 billion.
“The erosion of American seafood competitiveness at the hands of unfair foreign trade practices must end,” the executive order noted.
Additionally, the order:
- Directs regional fishery management councils to update and implement recommendations that reduce burdens, stabilize markets, improve access, enhance profitability and prevent closures.
- Solicit public input from industry, technologists and scientists on innovative ways to improve fisheries management and science within existing conservation laws.
- Refocus federal fisheries science and management efforts on core functions that directly strengthen the US seafood supply chain.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said the new office will support her state’s $5 billion fishing industry and sustain coastal communities.
“I appreciate that USDA is recognizing our fishermen as farmers of the sea and establishing the Office of Seafood. The creation of this office is a long overdue, essential step to expanding seats at the table for our hardworking fishing families, who are a key piece of our nation’s history and our future as well.”
Fishing industry support
Leaders in the fishing industry roundly supported the establishment of the new office.
The National Fisheries Institute released a statement on Wednesday, noting that it looks forward to an expanded relationship with USDA.
“From bait to plate and pond to processor there are many facets of this industry that can benefit from the department’s expertise in feeding Americans and assisting American businesses that produce food,” the association said. “Seafood can have a necessarily complex value chain that is proud to feature iconic American fisheries and globally sourced raw material processed and distributed here in order to provide American families the healthiest animal protein on the planet.”
The Fishing Communities Coalition (FCC) also applauded the announcement, calling the office “the culmination of years of work from fisheries and seafood advocates, including the members of the Fishing Communities Coalition and the more than 1,000 fishing businesses they represent nationwide.”
“USDA Secretary Rollins and Department of Commerce Secretary Lutnick set the stage today for a new era of cross-agency, federal collaboration around U.S. food systems. Fisheries champions in Congress have worked for years to bring these topics to the forefront,” said Ben Martens, executive director of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association.
