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U.S. agency announces 5-year aquaculture strategy

Responsible Seafood Advocate

Jobs, access to nutritious food and healthy coastal ecosystems are top priorities

aquaculture strategy
The NOAA Aquaculture Strategic Plan will guide the country’s efforts to enhance the growth of sustainable aquaculture. Photo courtesy of NOAA.

On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States (NOAA) published its first-ever 5-Year Strategic Plan for Aquaculture to guide the agency’s work through 2028.

The Strategic Plan was developed by the NOAA Aquaculture Program, which includes the NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture, the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research’s National Sea Grant Program, and the National Ocean Service’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science.

“Through this plan, NOAA will support a thriving, resilient, and inclusive U.S. aquaculture industry as part of a competitive domestic seafood sector,” said NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Janet Coit. “This plan will act as a framework to guide NOAA’s Aquaculture Program, set priorities to achieve our mission, and support NOAA’s vision of healthy and resilient ecosystems, communities, and economies.”

The plan for the industry includes supporting jobs, expanding access to nutritious domestic seafood, and reinforcing healthy coastal and ocean ecosystems. The program’s mission is to provide science, services, and policies that create conditions for opportunity and growth of sustainable U.S. aquaculture.

The plan includes key goals that outline top U.S. priorities for the next five years: managing sustainably and efficiently (improving the regulatory process); using world-class scientific expertise to meet management and industry needs; educating and building awareness and support for coastal, marine, and Great Lakes aquaculture through communication with stakeholders; and supporting economic growth and viability that makes the seafood sector more resilient.

“Sustainable aquaculture encompasses the ‘triple bottom line’ of economic viability, environmental stewardship and social responsibility,” said David O’Brien, acting director of the Office of Aquaculture. “As the demand for seafood continues to increase, and climate change continues to pose a threat to food security, NOAA will continue supporting efforts to grow seafood on land, in coastal waters, and the open ocean in harmony with a healthy and resilient environment.”

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