April 7, 2026 — New York Governor Kathy Hochul has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to confirm that a disaster has hit the state’s oyster industry, enabling oystermen to access emergency loans and financial support.
Like their counterparts working in Chesapeake Bay, New York oystermen have been beset by extreme cold weather and icy conditions that have kept them from working for much of the season.
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:
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.
March 30, 2026 — Two U.S. senators have introduced legislation designed to ensure commercial fishers and processors can access U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs, grants, and financial services.
“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,” U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) said in a release. “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.”
March 24, 2026 — New England’s fishing heritage runs deep — but that legacy is under pressure. Regional seafood businesses are closing or struggling to keep pace with a flood of international imports, even as local fisheries remain healthy and abundant. To help level the playing field, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) has launched the Fish Quality Resource Hub, a free online platform designed to give fishermen and seafood businesses practical, low-cost tools to improve product quality and increase their value in the marketplace.
The challenge is a familiar one to anyone working the docks. Modern refrigeration technology and efficient global logistics mean that fish caught halfway around the world can reach a Portland restaurant in days — erasing the geographic advantage that once gave New England fishermen a natural edge. Competing on price alone is rarely a winning strategy against large-scale international operations, which is why GMRI and its partners turned their focus to quality.
March 23, 2026 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued USD 2 million (EUR 1.7 million) in grant funding to two businesses to improve processing capacity for blue catfish, an invasive and prolific species in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
State and federal lawmakers have worked to increase processing capacity and grow the market for blue catfish, a voracious fish that can have a devastating impact on local ecosystems. In 2021, U.S. Congress established the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program under USDA to expand food processing capacity, and lawmakers have worked to ensure some funding is set aside to support catfish processing in the Chesapeake Bay region. Last year, USDA announced USD 6 million (EUR 5.2 million) in grant funding was available through the program for catfish processors.
March 19, 2026 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to invest $2 million in efforts to create new markets for the processing of invasive species in Maryland and Illinois is a terrific example of how holistic strategies can benefit business and support sustainability.
Rep. Andy Harris, from Maryland’s First District, has long understood the synergy between healthy fisheries and an improving economy. In announcing these grants Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins noted the significant ecological impact of certain species and how investments in processing can steer the market towards solutions.
The seafood industry has long understood that sustainability stands on three legs: economic, environmental and social. This strategy fits those tenets by supporting the market, addressing the on-the-water challenge and creating jobs.
NFI thanks USDA for this important step forward in supporting fishermen and advancing the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
Lisa Wallenda Picard
President & CEO
March 11, 2026 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is predicting seafood prices will rise faster than their historical average in 2026.
The USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS)’s February 2026 Forecast is predicting overall food prices will increase 3.1 percent this year. That average is split between food-at-home prices, which are projected to increase 2.5 percent, and food-away-from-home prices, which are projected to increase up to 3.7 percent.
February 18, 2026 — New Farm Bill renewal legislation introduced by Republicans in the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture would establish an aquaculture advisory committee.
The committee is based on a concept introduced in the Sustaining Healthy Ecosystems, Livelihoods, and Local Seafood (SHELLS) Act, introduced in 2023 to create an office of aquaculture within USDA. The bill also provided for the establishment of an aquaculture advisory committee to help develop best practices and provide technical assistance.
December 15, 2025 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded USD 13,694,519 (EUR 11,666,316) in contracts for catfish, pollock, and salmon products for use in federal domestic food programs.
Sitka, Alaska, U.S.A.-based Silver Bay Seafoods was the biggest winner of the announcement, securing roughly half of the funding by value. The company was awarded USD 7,077,272 (EUR 6,028,959) to provide more than 88,000 cases of canned pink salmon.
November 21, 2025 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a total of USD 1.7 million (EUR 1.5 million) in funding for six aquaculture research projects.
The competitive grants were issued through USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), a body created to consolidate the federal government’s funding for agriculture research. According to NIFA’s website, global seafood demand is expected to increase 70 percent over the next three decades, and a “dramatic increase” in aquaculture production will need to take place to meet that demand.