Saving Seafood

Seafood Harvesters of America Releases National Policy Roadmap to Strengthen U.S. Seafood Competitiveness

July 16, 2026 — The following was released by Seafood Harvesters of America:

Seafood Harvesters of America today released the Fisheries Leadership and National Policy Forum Report, a national roadmap outlining priorities to strengthen the competitiveness of the U.S. seafood industry while building on America’s global leadership in science-based fisheries management.

The report is the result of Seafood Harvesters of America’s inaugural Fisheries Leadership and National Policy Forum, which brought together seafood industry leaders, senior officials from the White House, the U.S. Departments of Commerce, State, and Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other federal agencies, and representatives from Congress, to assess the long-term competitiveness of the U.S. seafood sector.

“This was truly a first-of-its-kind convening of government and seafood industry leaders,” said Hannah Heimbuch, a commercial fisherman and Board President of Seafood Harvesters of America. “It was a landmark gathering, built around a shared commitment to strengthening the competitiveness of U.S. seafood and growing America’s global leadership in sustainable, science-based fisheries management. It was clear throughout these discussions that maintaining a strong U.S. seafood industry will require coordinated leadership, strategic investment, and continued collaboration across government and the seafood sector. This report provides a roadmap for turning that commitment into action.”

The report is intended to serve as a resource for Congress, the Administration, federal agencies, and industry leaders as they work together to strengthen the future of U.S. seafood and America’s working waterfronts.

About Seafood Harvesters of America

Seafood Harvesters of America is the leading national organization representing seafood producers from across the United States. The organization advances science-based fisheries management and advocates for policies that strengthen the sustainability, competitiveness, and long-term resilience of the U.S. seafood industry.

USDA to add wild-caught shrimp to emergency food assistance programs

July 10, 2026 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plans to add wild-caught peeled and deveined shrimp to the list of foods available under its emergency food assistance programs.

“Shell-abrate [sic] the great news for America’s fishermen!” the department said in social media posts. “USDA plans to add U.S. wild-caught Peeled and Deveined Shrimp to the FY27 emergency food assistance programs on the TEFAP Foods Available List, bringing more nutritious protein options to the communities we serve.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

US senators seek federal action to prevent spread of yellow catfish virus

June 23, 2026 — A handful of United States senators have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take action to prevent a deadly overseas virus from infecting domestic catfish populations.

Their primary concern is yellow catfish virus (YcCV), a highly transmissible and deadly pathogen first identified in Chinese aquaculture operations in 2020. The virus exhibited a mortality rate of nearly 90 percent, the senators claim, and can survive the freezing and thawing process.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

US House passes agriculture appropriations bill with more funding for Office of Seafood

June 10, 2026 — Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives included another year’s worth of money for the new Office of Seafood within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in a fiscal year 2027 appropriations bill funding the department, along with other seafood provisions.

The bill includes several of the priorities and stipulations outlined in the fiscal year 2026 agriculture appropriations legislation, which was passed by Congress in November 2025 following a multi-week shutdown of the federal government.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NEW YORK: USDA issues disaster designation for New York oyster sector

March 28, 2026 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a secretarial disaster designation for the aquaculture sector in Suffolk County, New York, allowing commercial oystermen to access low-interest loans.

“Early last month, I urged the USDA to take swift action to declare Suffolk County a disaster area and help our aquaculture growers get the assistance they need to recover and move forward,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said. “With this secretarial disaster declaration, the producers who have seen economic loss can now take advantage of low-interest loans to help ensure they’re able to sustain their operations. I have long been committed to helping this important agricultural sector grow and thrive, and the state will continue to support the industry through this hardship.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

US lawmakers attempt to attach several seafood amendments to Farm Bill

April 28, 2026 — U.S. lawmakers are pushing to attach several seafood amendments to the forthcoming Farm Bill renewal as part of an ongoing effort to grow the seafood industry’s presence within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“We urge Members of the House to support these amendments and deliver a Farm Bill that recognizes America’s commercial fishing families as the food producers they are,” Southern Shrimp Alliance Director Blake Price said in a release.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

USDA launches first-ever Office of Seafood

April 16, 2026 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Wednesday the creation of its new Office of Seafood, a first-of-its-kind office designed to give commercial fishermen, aquaculture producers, and seafood processors a clearer path to accessing federal programs and resources.

The announcement was made by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins alongside Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R.-Alaska, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

The new office will primarily serve as a coordinating body, working across USDA agencies to better integrate fishermen into existing programs while also partnering with the Department of Commerce and other federal agencies. A central piece of its mission will be helping develop the America First Seafood Strategy, an initiative aimed at boosting domestic production, marketing, export, and processing capacity for U.S. seafood.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

King, Murkowski Introduce Legislation to Strengthen American Fisheries

March 30, 2026 — The following was released by the Office of U.S. Senator Angus King:

U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have introduced legislation to strengthen the American seafood industry by treating it the same as the nation’s farmlands. The American Seafood Competitiveness Act would expand access to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan and grant programs for commercial fishermen, seafood processors, and mariculture-related businesses. The legislation would also expand Farm Credit eligibility to businesses providing services to fisherman and fish processors.

“Whether your crops have seeds or scales, America’s food producers are essential to our economy and food supply, so we should seek economic parity for the men and women who work in the seafood industry,” said Senator King. “The American Seafood Competitiveness Act would help level the playing field and ensure our lobstermen and shellfish growers have access to the resources they need to grow and compete. That way, we can ensure the ‘Way Life Should Be’ for generations to come.”

“In Alaska, agriculture isn’t just cattle and livestock in Delta Junction or carrot farms in Palmer—it also includes kelp farms in Douglas, oyster operations on Prince of Wales Island, and gillnetters in Bristol Bay harvesting our world-class salmon,” said Senator Murkowski. “These uniquely Alaska enterprises have been left out of some of America’s agricultural landscape, yet they play a vital role in our food security across the state. It’s past time our fishing and mariculture industries can access the same financing opportunities as farmers in the heartland.”

More specifically the American Seafood Competitiveness Act would:

  • Amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to include commercial fishing and fish processing as eligible agricultural activities under USDA programs.
  • Include wild-caught fish and shellfish as eligible agricultural products under USDA’s Local Agricultural Market Program and allow USDA to waive or reduce matching fund requirements, lowering barriers for small and rural operators.
  • Update USDA regulations to ensure seafood processors can access financing to acquire or upgrade processing facilities and address significant operating costs.
  • Expand eligibility for USDA farm ownership and operating loans to allow fishermen to purchase permits, acquire vessels, make capital improvements, and cover operating and maintenance costs.
  • Broaden Farm Credit eligibility to businesses that support fishermen and fish processors, providing access to lending from Farm Credit institutions similar to that available to farm-related businesses.
  • Create additional financing options for coastal businesses and rural communities that rely on the seafood economy, in the same manner as those supported by traditional agriculture.

The American Seafood Competitiveness Act would recognize the seafood industry’s role as “farmers of the sea” by ensuring they have the same opportunities as traditional farmers.

Senator King is a longtime supporter of Maine’s lobster and seafood industry and has worked to ensure Maine fishermen have the same access to federal support as traditional farmers. Last year, he led the Fishing Industry Credit Enhancement Act (FICA) which would allow businesses that provide direct assistance to fishing operations—like gear producers or cold storage—to access loans from the Farm Credit System (FCS) that are already offered to service providers for farmers, ranchers and loggers. The American Seafood Competitiveness Act includes the assistance programs from FICA in addition to the other proposed programs that extend economic aid to fish and seafood businesses.

US lawmakers renew push for aquaculture’s inclusion in USDA programs

August 7, 2025 — U.S. legislators in Congress have reintroduced legislation intended to ensure aquaculture producers are treated the same as livestock and crop farmers by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Supporting Equity for Aquaculture and Seafood (SEAS) Act would guarantee that aquaculture and seafood producers could access USDA grants and financial assistance while expanding federal crop insurance to cover aquaculture products.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

USDA to purchase USD 100 million worth of Alaska pollock

August 6, 2025 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to buy USD 100 million (EUR 86.4 million) worth of Alaska pollock and USD 20 million (EUR 17.3 million) of catfish as part of a bulk purchase of food products for food banks and nutrition assistance programs across the country.

According to the Genuine Association of Pollock Producers, the USDA has already spent nearly USD 60 million (EUR 52 million) on Alaska pollock products in fiscal year 2025, making it the fourth biggest year of USDA pollock purchases to date. The proposed USD 100 million would far outpace the previous record for USDA pollock purchases, when the department spent USD 76.3 million (EUR 65.9 million) in fiscal year 2019.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource