Aquaculture North America

Opportunities for fish farming as US seafood deficit widens

June 26, 2018
By Liza Mayer

The United States imported more than 6 billion lbs of seafood valued at more than $21.5 billion in 2017, the highest on record, while exporting more than $3.6 billion lbs valued at about $6 billion, data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and others in fisheries are looking at new strategies to cut the deficit, including increasing the amount of aquaculture-based farming, said Jennie Lyons, a NOAA spokeswoman.

Earlier this year, Ross said the deficit represents “untapped” potential opportunities in the nation’s aquaculture industry. “Expanding our nation’s aquaculture capacity presents an opportunity to reduce America's reliance on imports while creating thousands of new jobs,” he said.

The US imported more than 6 billion lbs of seafood last year

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