According to data provided by the USDA, 80% of the fish consumed in 2023 was imported.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the opening of the Office of Seafood, a new office in which American fishermen will be recognized as a “key” part of the United States food supply.
This new office will provide advice to the Secretary of Agriculture on matters affecting the fishing industry and will coordinate across USDA agencies to ensure that fishermen are integrated into the department’s programs.
Its ultimate goal is for these efforts to work alongside the U.S. Department of Commerce and other federal partners to revitalize the American seafood industry. In addition, this office will work to implement Executive Order 14276 by President Trump.
According to a statement, this will help "restore the competitiveness of American seafood," including the development of the America First Seafood strategy to "promote the production, marketing, sale, and export of U.S. fishery and aquaculture products, as well as to strengthen domestic processing capacity."
Finally, the USDA encourages all stakeholders in the fishing industry to make use of the USDA Office of Seafood to access information and benefit from its grants and loans for infrastructure and workforce development, the procurement of U.S. seafood products, marketing and promotion in both domestic and international markets, as well as risk management and disaster assistance.
In November 2025, the USDA, through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), awarded $1.7 million in funding to six aquaculture development projects. According to data provided by the agency, 80% of the fish consumed in 2023 was imported.
