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WASHINGTON -- Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins alongside Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan, and Maine Senator Susan Collins recently announced the creation of the new U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Seafood. This first of its kind office will prioritize customer service and ease of navigation for American seafood cultivators, producers, and processors to access USDA programs.
"President Trump is the first President to recognize fishermen for the essential work they do to sustain our food supply," said Rollins. "With the launch of the USDA Office of Seafood, we are honoring decades of hard work on the water and opening the door to new opportunities, stronger support, and a brighter future for the seafood industry. Today's announcement, in addition to the historic tax cuts and investments in rural America made possible through the priorities and provisions in the Working Families Tax Cuts, is truly a new chapter for America's fishermen."
"The Department of the Interior is thrilled to support the establishment of the first-ever Seafood Office at the Department of Agriculture – an initiative that puts the people who help feed America first," said Burgum. "American fishermen are the backbone of coastal economies and a vital part of our nation's food security. By improving coordination across agencies, the Seafood Office will ensure these fishermen can fully access the tools and programs they need to thrive."
"The Trump Administration is committed to supporting American fishermen, strengthening our coastal communities, and ensuring families have access to affordable high-quality American seafood," said Lutnick. "When our fishermen win, America wins."
Fifty years ago, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act--the primary law governing marine fisheries in U.S. federal waters--was signed into law, providing the fishing industry with long-term economic stability. However, for years, fishermen across the country have been struggling to navigate programs at USDA that can help support their businesses.
With the creation of the USDA Office of Seafood, the Federal government now enters a new era of seafood policy where American fishermen will be recognized by USDA as a key part of the U.S. food supply.
One of the primary roles of the new USDA Office of Seafood will be coordinating across USDA agencies to ensure fishermen are integrated into USDA programs and working alongside the U.S. Department of Commerce and other Federal partners to revitalize the American seafood industry.
The action supports USDA's implementation of President Trump's Executive Order 14276, Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness. The USDA Office of Seafood will play an important role in coordinating with the U.S. Department of Commerce in the development of the America First Seafood Strategy to promote production, marketing, sale, and export of U.S. fishery and aquaculture products and strengthen domestic processing capacity.
For additional information, email seafood@usda.gov or visit www.usda.gov/seafood.