(NewsNation) — The federal government has made it very clear for months now that they have been fighting to restore the United States’ seafood competitiveness.
In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order highlighting that seafood is one of the most heavily regulated sectors in country, stating “federal overregulation has restricted fishermen from productively harvesting American seafood including through restrictive catch limits, selling our fishing grounds to foreign offshore wind companies, inaccurate and outdated fisheries data, and delayed adoption of modern technology.”
Because of this, Congress has turned its attention to the burgeoning aquaculture market. Aquaculture is the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish, shellfish, algae, and other organisms in all types of water environments, according to the National Ocean Service.
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A bill has been introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) that would build the aquaculture workforce throughout the country, facilitate research and development, and streamline permitting of the process.
Allowing all of these parameters would allow the U.S. to jump in on a global precision aquaculture market that’s projected to grow from just under $850 million in 2025 to over $1.4 billion by 2031.
“Addressing the climate crisis requires bold, science-driven solutions — including how we produce food,” acknowledged Maddie Voorhees, the Environmental Defense Fund.
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“Seafood is a climate-smart protein with a lower carbon footprint than many land-based alternatives, but we know wild fisheries alone can’t meet rising global demand.”
As of 2023, Hawaii’s aquaculture industry accounts for $65 million, making up the seventh most valuable in the country.
Meanwhile, China is estimated to account for the largest market share of the whole aquaculture industry.
