Sea Grant Unveils Ambitious 10-Year Aquaculture Roadmap to Strengthen U.S. Blue Economy

The National Sea Grant Program has released its 10-Year Aquaculture Roadmap (2025-2035), a comprehensive plan designed to enhance sustainable aquaculture development across the United States. The plan focuses on four service areas and associated priorities to advance domestic seafood production, support coastal and Great Lakes communities, and bolster the nation’s blue economy while ensuring environmental stewardship and resilience.

As the demand for sustainable seafood continues to rise, the Sea Grant Aquaculture 10-Year Roadmap focuses on innovation, workforce development, policy support, and environmental sustainability to position the U.S. as a leader in responsible aquaculture.

Service Areas of the 10-Year Roadmap:

• Expansion of Aquaculture Research:  Supporting community and partner-driven applied and basic research that is relevant to the growth and vitality of the U.S. aquaculture community.
• Aquaculture Engagement and Extension Services, Best Practices, and Knowledge Exchange: Offering community-driven engagement and Extension services supporting U.S. aquaculture, including technology transfer, advisory services, and knowledge exchange across topics
• Aquaculture Public Awareness and Consumer Education: Providing public, nonformal, and formal education and communications regarding aquaculture, including educational opportunities for students, practitioners, regulators, policymakers, the public, and seafood consumers.
• Aquaculture Workforce and Leadership Development: Providing services to assess and develop the U.S. aquaculture workforce, create diverse career pathways, develop and foster leadership opportunities, implement training and educational programs, and support standard certifications through partnerships with the aquaculture community.

Through collaborations with farmers, federal and state agencies, scientists, education, Extension, and other members of the aquaculture community, Sea Grant’s plan aims to address challenges and opportunities in the aquaculture community, supporting the development of a robust and sustainable seafood industry.

For more information on the Sea Grant Aquaculture 10-Year Plan, visit https://masgc.org/assets/publications/uploads/24-036-508.pdf  or contact LaDon Swann at ladon.swann@usm.edu or 251-648-5877.

About Sea Grant

The National Sea Grant College program was established by the U.S. Congress in 1966 and works to create and maintain a healthy coastal environment and economy. The Sea Grant network consists of federal-university partnerships between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and 34 university-based programs in every coastal and Great Lakes state, Puerto Rico, and Guam. The network draws on the expertise of more than 3,000 scientists, engineers, public outreach experts, educators and students to help citizens better understand, conserve and utilize America’s coastal resources.