U.S. aquaculture production is growing because demands for healthy seafood products are increasing.

Global stocks of wild-caught seafood have remained stable over the last 20 years, and a growing world population projected to reach over 9 billion in 2050 is expected to exacerbate the demand for seafood products. USDA is providing leadership to ensure that a healthy, competitive, and sustainable aquaculture sector can produce an abundant, safe, and affordable supply of seafood products. USDA activities include:

• supporting economic development that creates jobs and opportunities in rural communities;
• designing aquaculture production systems that use aquatic resources for farming while maintaining healthy ecosystems;
• supporting and conducting research, education, and extension activities that train a skilled work force and support the development of new aquaculture technologies;
• overseeing aquatic animal health; and
• providing marketing programs that educate consumers on the nutritional benefits of seafood products and the sustainable management of responsible aquaculture production.

Given USDA’s extensive portfolio of programs supporting aquaculture, the Office of the Chief Scientist, agencies in the Research, Education, and Economics mission area, and the USDA Working Group on Aquaculture sought to provide the domestic aquaculture industry an opportunity to communicate on how USDA can best serve this farming community.