© Blue Ocean Mariculture
Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS) president Chris Stock outlined the group’s funding requests in a letter to Representative Hal Rogers (Republican Party - KY), Chair of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, and Representative Grace Meng (Democratic Party - NY), the subcommittee’s Ranking Member. The letter highlights that the US imports up to 85 percent of its seafood and currently ranks just 18th in global aquaculture production.
SATS highlights the potential for developing offshore aquaculture in the US, stating:
“As the fastest growing food production sector in the world, responsible aquaculture development presents opportunities for meaningful economic growth in coastal communities and among their supply chain partners, while ensuring that Americans have access to responsibly farmed local seafood.”
The coalition emphasises that open ocean aquaculture is widely recognised by scientists as one of the most sustainable methods of producing protein - yet remains underdeveloped in the US.
To support industry growth, SATS is calling on Congress to allocate $19 million to NOAA’s Office of Aquaculture and an additional $5 million to the Aquaculture Cooperative Institute, housed within NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. They also argue for strong funding for the National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science and request $18 million for NOAA’s Sea Grant Aquaculture Research programme, which plays a key role in advancing sustainable seafood innovation through their research and technical assistance to stakeholders.
In addition to funding, SATS is drawing attention to NOAA’s staffing shortage (which is currently under a hiring freeze), noting that “With the agency staff currently down 30% due to vacancies and retirements, ensuring these positions are filled is essential to the development of a stronger American seafood industry.”
Stock comments in the conclusion: “By prioritising domestic aquaculture, you will support the growth of an American seafood community that is resilient to economic and climate changes and is part of a holistic approach to a greater sustainable food strategy, as well as help achieve the President’s goal, laid out in his executive order, of making the United States ‘the world’s dominant seafood leader.’”
