Washington, D.C.– Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS), an industry coalition that advocates for increasing Americans’ access to healthful, sustainable and affordable U.S. seafood, issued a statement today on the Administration’s Executive Order on American seafood competitiveness.
Bill DiMento, President of SATS and Vice President of Corporate Sustainability and Government Affairs at High Liner Foods, said, “The President’s Executive Order is an important step towards improving the competitiveness of the entire U.S. seafood supply chain. It provides regulatory reform to maximize commercial fishing while also enabling producers to revolutionize American seafood production through sustainable offshore aquaculture. Combined, these measures will strengthen our coastal and agricultural communities and create thousands of jobs.”
The Executive Order increases coordination among agencies and clarifies existing regulations to reduce barriers that currently limit offshore aquaculture in U.S. federal waters. Further, it outlines regulatory reform to maximize commercial fishing, combats illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and outlines a process for developing Aquaculture Opportunity Areas suitable for commercial aquaculture in federal waters, taking into consideration input from all stakeholders and relevant agencies.
“The United States has the technology, the skilled work force, the coastal infrastructure, and the growing market for healthy farmed seafood. Our country needs economic stimulus – not just in terms of immediate cash assistance, but also in the form of new job opportunities. Why not put Americans back to work in an emerging industry like aquaculture at a time when it is needed most? Today’s executive action recognizes and fulfills this need in a pragmatic, deliberate way that is long overdue,” DiMento concluded.
Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food sector in the world, but the U.S. ranks only 16th in the production of farm-raised seafood. Through the expansion of offshore aquaculture, which will complement wild caught fish harvesting, the U.S. can increase production of American seafood to meet growing global demand for sustainable and healthy seafood.
Sean O’Scannlain, President and CEO of Fortune International and a Board Member of SATS, said, “Now is the time to embrace new opportunities for American workers and American consumers. The US seafood community has long understood the importance of supplementing wild-capture fisheries with sustainably farm-raised seafood. We simply cannot meet the rising global demand for healthful animal protein without farming fish. We need both sustainable, local food AND new job opportunities for newly unemployed Americans. Today’s Executive Action recognizes a need and an innovative, thoughtful program to meet that need using American workers, American technology and American resources.”
Read more about the benefits of offshore aquaculture here: https://www.strongerthroughseafood.org/multimedia-center
About Stronger America Through Seafood
Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS) advocates for policies and regulations that help secure a stronger America through increased U.S. production of healthful, sustainable, and affordable seafood. Learn more at www.strongerthroughseafood.org.
