Growing Bipartisan Support for Open Ocean Aquaculture Brings Industry Leaders to Capitol Hill

Seafood leaders and allies are heading to Capitol Hill this week for a two-day legislative fly-in hosted by Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS). Their message to Congress: expanding open ocean aquaculture in U.S. federal waters would help increase America’s seafood supply and create new jobs nationwide.

“Federal legislation that supports open ocean aquaculture provides the U.S. a chance to prove that we can sustainably produce more seafood in our own ocean waters,” said Drue Banta Winters, campaign manager of SATS. “Expanding U.S. aquaculture will help increase the amount of American-raised seafood coming into our ports, spur investment in coastal communities, and create new jobs and opportunities in congressional districts across the country as the seafood supply chain grows.”

Demand for sustainable protein is rising, but the U.S. already harvests the sustainable limit of wild-caught seafood. While other countries have prioritized sustainable aquaculture, the U.S. ranks only 18th in seafood production globally. America imports the majority of seafood we consume, half from fish farms in other countries. Open ocean aquaculture would work in complement with our nation’s wild fisheries to help increase our domestic seafood supply sustainably.  

Federal legislation is needed to create a pathway for open ocean aquaculture in America. The bipartisan Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act of 2025 (S.2586), introduced in July 2025 by Sens. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Roger Wicker (R-MS), would advance development of commercial-scale open ocean aquaculture farms in U.S. federal waters.

The bill has already gained bipartisan support as well as backing from leading environmental groups, seafood industry leaders, award-winning chefs, and academics.

“With strong bipartisan momentum growing for open ocean aquaculture, we are hopeful that congressional lawmakers will recognize the need to pass legislation to support growth of U.S. aquaculture,” Winters shared.

Expanding American aquaculture would create new opportunities across the country. Coastal communities would benefit from increased investment in portside infrastructure, while inland states would benefit from new markets for American-grown crops such as soybeans, corn, peas, wheat, barley, rice, canola, and flaxseed, which are used in plant-based fish feeds. Businesses across the country would also benefit from increased opportunities, including hatcheries, fish farms, equipment manufacturers, feed suppliers, processors, retailers, and others that support the seafood supply chain.

Companies and organizations joining SATS on Capitol Hill include Cargill, Cuna del Mar, Fortune Fish & Gourmet, Innovasea, Manna Fish Farms, Sysco, and Zeigler, as well as the American Soybean Association, National Fisheries Institute and Soy Aquaculture Alliance.

Here’s why fly-in participants believe federal legislation is needed to support the expansion of U.S. aquaculture:

Chris Stock, President of SATS and Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Seafood, Cuna del Mar, said, “Public awareness of aquaculture as an increasingly important means to sustainably feed our nation has never been higher. This is helping amplify SATS’ message that passing the MARA Act is the most significant step our nation can take to unlock the potential of open ocean aquaculture in our waters to build our seafood supply while supporting local economies. The time for action is now.”

Stacy Schultz, Vice President of SATS and Director of Frozen Seafood, Fortune Fish & Gourmet, said, “U.S. open ocean aquaculture would help ensure families across the country have greater access to fresh, American-raised seafood. By passing the MARA Act, Congress can help advance America’s sustainable aquaculture industry, grow our nation’s domestic seafood supply, and create new jobs along all our coasts.”

Brad Christie, Vice President of Global Government Relations, Sysco, said, “As consumer demand for seafood continues to grow, responsibly expanding U.S. aquaculture offers a unique opportunity to strengthen our domestic seafood supply while creating new jobs and supporting coastal economies. By advancing open-ocean aquaculture, Congress can help ensure a reliable and sustainable source of American-raised seafood, allowing companies like Sysco to provide customers with more high-quality, responsibly sourced options produced right here at home.”

Tyler Sclodnick, Principal Scientist and Aquaculture Science Services Lead, Innovasea, said, “Aquaculture is more sustainable than ever thanks to emerging technology. AI-powered feed cameras, real-time sensors, and advanced modeling systems allow farmers to optimize feeding, monitor fish health, and reduce water and sediment impacts. This improves both the farm’s financial performance and reduces environmental interactions. With the world’s largest domestic seafood market, abundant water resources, and skilled personnel, the U.S. is well equipped to expand open ocean aquaculture, and the MARA Act provides the pathway to make that growth possible.”

Easton Kuboushek, Executive Director, Soy Aquaculture Alliance (SAA), said, “For decades, U.S. soybean farmers have partnered with aquaculture producers around the world to deliver consistent, high-quality, sustainable feed ingredients. This is a significant opportunity to bring more of that success story home and put American-grown soy to work in our own waters.”

Lisa Wallenda Picard, CEO, National Fisheries Institute (NFI), said, “NFI and its members fully support expanding aquaculture in the U.S. As a nation we have been woefully behind in aquaculture investment and production because of excessive regulatory barriers that have stood in the way of vital growth.  The ‘Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act’ will help get commercial open ocean aquaculture started so it can benefit not only jobs but the health of everyday Americans.”