NOAA Fisheries Releases National Seafood Strategy Implementation Plan

Seafood on ice for display. Credit: Shutterstock

NOAA Fisheries released its National Seafood Strategy Implementation Plan(PDF, 14 pages). Our National Seafood Strategy, released in 2023, outlines our direction for supporting the U.S. seafood economy and enhancing the resilience of the seafood sector, including wild-capture and aquaculture, in the face of many challenges. This plan outlines actions we are currently implementing as well as those we can take to support the strategy.

"The Implementation Plan is where the rubber meets the road," said NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Janet Coit. "It outlines the specific actions to achieve the goals we laid out in the strategy to support our nation's seafood sector and the benefits it provides."

The plan focuses on NOAA Fisheries' industry services, such as the Seafood Inspection Program, Fishery Finance Programand Saltonstall-Kennedy grant program. It also underscores our socio-economic activities-such as seafood market and supply chain analyses-and communications efforts around the sustainability of U.S. seafood. The plan identifies ongoing, new, and aspirational activities, with a focus on those currently within our capacity. Critical to achieving the goals is coordinating with other federal agencies, as well as states, tribes, harvesters and seafood farmers, nongovernmental organizations, and other groups.

"No one entity can do this work alone. To truly achieve a more resilient and competitive seafood sector, we all need to work together. The National Seafood Strategy and now our Implementation Plan demonstrates what we at NOAA Fisheries can do to reach those goals," Coit said.

The plan identifies four pilot initiatives around which we will activate and enhance partnerships to tackle cross-cutting issues. These initiatives include efforts to:

• Bolster industry resilience in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic shrimp fishery
• Support revitalization of the Port of Port Orford, Oregon
• Increase climate resilience in highly migratory species fisheries
• Support Alaska's seafood sector resilience

Sustainable Seafood Supply Is Critical for Public Health

The National Seafood Strategy was the culmination of years of input from NOAA Fisheries' diverse constituencies. The implementation plan was informed by recommendations for specific actions from more than 150 public comments. Additionally, we consulted with a variety of seafood sector representatives to gather input.

The plan is meant to be a living document that will be revisited often and updated based on additional inputs. "We will continue to consult with seafood industry members, management councils, states, tribes, and other constituents as we execute this implementation plan," said Michael Rubino, the agency's Senior Advisor for Seafood Strategy.

The U.S. seafood industry is critical to enhancing public health and nutrition, creating jobs, and building a climate resilient food strategy. It is facing unprecedented challenges-including climate change, new ocean uses, significant labor shortages, and aging infrastructure. This has resulted in an urgent situation for many fisheries and connected communities and put our supply of sustainable seafood at risk.

"Ensuring a supply of sustainable seafood for consumption is a key part of NOAA Fisheries' mission," Rubino said. "Given the urgency, this plan is more important now than ever."