Marine aquaculture enhances coastal resiliency, creates jobs, improves food security and human nutrition and is a valuable tool to help rebuild some protected species and habitats. Limits to wild fisheries, environmental changes, the nutritional benefits of seafood, and trends in global seafood markets underscore the need to increase U.S. marine aquaculture production.  

Our marine aquaculture vision and mission advance those of NOAA and support NOAA Fisheries’ priorities. Central to our aquaculture mission is ensuring that U.S. marine aquaculture grows sustainably. We define sustainable aquaculture to encompass the “triple bottom line” of environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Marine aquaculture is part of the agency’s strategy for economic and environmental resiliency in coastal communities and supporting healthy oceans.

Marine aquaculture operations provide a year-round source of high-quality jobs and economic opportunities in coastal communities that augment seasonal tourism and commercial fishing. Marine aquaculture is also a resource-efficient method of increasing and diversifying U.S. seafood production that can expand and stabilize U.S. seafood supply in the face of environmental change and economic uncertainty. Some marine aquaculture, such as shellfish and seaweed aquaculture, provides environmental benefits by removing excess nutrients from our waterways. Aquaculture is also used for species and habitat restoration, and is part of a strategy to recover NOAA priority species.