NOAA Wants US Citizens’ Help To Revitalize US Tuna And Seafood Sector

The US agency NOAA is looking into ways to promote tuna and other seafood caught by American fishers among in the country. It is inviting the public to share their input on how to make this a reality through suggestions, mainly in regulations. This is in response to US President Donald Trump’s signing of the ‘Executive Order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness’ last April. NOAA has identified a set of actions to implement the order and wants US citizens to suggest ways to improve fisheries management and science on specific issues.

According to NOAA, the US seafood industry has recently been under increasing pressure from factors such as global competition, evolving market demands, and changing ocean conditions. Between 2019 and 2023, domestic fish and seafood landings decreased by approximately 1 billion pounds (453,592 tons).

What Can Be The Path Ahead?

NOAA, in coordination with other federal agencies and partners, identified several actions to meet the directives laid out in the Executive Order. This includes implementing regulatory changes for fisheries experiencing declines in landings or revenue, revising restrictions on commercial fishing in existing marine national monuments, and exploring technological strategies to enhance data collection. These are some of the main ones.

The agency wants suggestions from the public on regulations that govern fishing activities, “that may be suspended, revised, or rescinded, challenges faced by some fisheries”, and how they can be improved. It also asked for ways to improve fisheries management and science, including the use of reliable technologies and cooperative research, modernized data collection and analytical practices. The inputs can be sent via email with the last day to comment being October 14, 2025.

The Executive Order, signed by Trump on April 17, is a broad effort aimed at revitalizing the US seafood sector by strengthening domestic production, exports, and trade strategies, by advancing technological modernization, and cutting regulatory red tape.