February 14, 2023
NOAA’s National Seafood Strategy Purpose The National Seafood Strategy, outlines our direction for supporting a thriving domestic U.S. seafood economy and enhancing the resilience of the seafood sector in the face of climate change and other stressors. Our vision is to ensure that: ● U.S. seafood continues to be produced sustainably ● The U.S. seafood sector contributes to the nation’s climate-ready food production and to meeting critical domestic nutritional needs ● U.S. seafood production increases to support jobs, the economy, and the competitiveness of the U.S. seafood sector ● Supply chains and infrastructure are modernized with more value-added activity in the United States ● Opportunities are expanded for a diverse and growing seafood workforce
Strategy Drivers NOAA Fisheries’ National Seafood Strategy supports the growing importance of seafood in meeting global needs and recognizes the unprecedented challenges faced by the U.S. seafood sector. Seafood is Good for People Seafood is one of the best sources of nutrients essential for human health and well-being. It is also critical to providing food to a growing global population. Seafood is Good for the Economy The U.S. harvests about 10 billion pounds of seafood annually with a dockside value of $6.3 billion. Domestic seafood is also an economic engine that supports 1.2 million jobs and generates $165 billion in sales across the broader economy. Seafood is Good for the Planet Harvested responsibly, as it is in the United States, seafood is also an environmentally friendly way to produce a nutritious food given its relatively low carbon footprint and efficient use of
The U.S. seafood industry is facing unprecedented challenges. Climate change is rapidly altering species location, size, and composition. It is also intensifying storms and impacts on infrastructure. The coronavirus pandemic disrupted markets and trade, decreasing the economic viability of the seafood industry and limiting access to some seafood. New technologies and other ocean uses, such as offshore wind energy, will affect use of ocean space and potentially result in conflicts. Significant labor shortages plus aging harvesting, processing, and distribution infrastructure affect production, safety, and costeffectiveness in the industry. 1