NOAA Seeks to Expand Aquaculture to Increase Consumption of Domestic Seafood

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released a draft policy document detailing its intentions to increase aquaculture domestically. The cultivation of sea-life in selected environments, a process known as aquaculture, is a priority for the NOAA because of the current disparity between domestic and overseas seafood production. According to the draft policy, “[a]pproximately 84 percent of the seafood consumed in the United States is imported, about half of which is sourced from aquaculture.” Further, while half of seafood consumed in the U.S. comes from aquaculture, only about 5 percent comes from domestic sources. While the NOAA is seeking to increase the growth of aquaculture domestically, these efforts are being touted as a means to reduce the trade deficit. With approximately $9 billion worth of seafood being imported into the United States each year, seafood is one of the largest contributors to the deficit.

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