July 6, 2026 — U.S. legislators in Congress are once again utilizing the fiscal year 2027 annual military funding bill to advance several key seafood provisions, most of which block the Department of Defense from purchasing foreign seafood.
The U.S. House took up its version of the bill recently, which most notably would eliminate any exemptions from the military’s “Buy American” requirements when it comes to seafood. That requirement is part of the Berry Amendment, which directs the federal government to purchase American-made and -sourced products. The Berry Amendment requires all seafood products to be sourced from U.S.-flagged vessels or harvested from U.S. waters, and all processing must take place in the U.S. or on a U.S.-flagged vessel.