FOOD SECURITYU.S. Capable of Achieving Seafood Independence, New Study Shows

From lobster to haddock and seaweed, seafood plays an important role in the U.S. economy, diet and culture. The nation is one of the top producers of marine and aquatic foods worldwide, but also the second largest seafood importer.

Through extensive data analysis and calculations, University of Maine researchers found the U.S. could achieve seafood independence, or meet its entire seafood needs through its own production. But according to their new study in the academic journal Ocean Sustainability, published by Nature, “achieving greater seafood independence would require shifts in consumer behavior, investments in infrastructure and continual adaptation in the face of climate change.” 

Becoming seafood independent offers opportunities for the U.S. to improve dietary outcomes as well as individual and national food security, particularly against disruptions in global supply chains, according to the research team. Despite its capacity to rely solely on the seafood it produces, the nation exports the majority of it and imports 80-90% of the seafood Americans consume. 

“There is a tendency to forget that seafood is an integral part of the nation’s food system, but achieving greater seafood independence can improve equity, health and buffers from climate change,” said Joshua Stoll, UMaine associate professor of marine policy, who co-authored the study with postdoctoral research fellow Sahir Advani and Ph.D. student Tolulope Oyikeke.

Researchers conducted the study using 50 years of consumption and production data, from 1970-2021, for the nation and its seven regions as classified by the U.S Regional Fishery Management Council. Those regions are New England, the Gulf of Mexico, the mid-Atlantic, the south Atlantic, Alaska, the West Coast, Hawaii and other states. Based on that data, the team determined the extent to which the nation and its regions could meet their seafood demand through their own production, with 100% indicating the potential for complete seafood independence. 

National seafood consumption, particularly of fish and other non-shellfish species, has increased over the past century alongside population growth and shifts in culinary preferences, but not enough to pass the overall uptick in production. Per capita consumption rose from 11.7 to 20.3 pounds, according to researchers. Producers, however, have reached a mean annual production volume of 7.5 billion pounds, which could yield 21.4 pounds of food per capita.