10-Year Sea Grant Aquaculture Roadmap

NOAA Sea Grant is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and 34 research programs at leading universities, collectively known as Sea Grant Programs, situated in every state and territory within the U.S. coastal, marine, and Great Lakes regions. These programs play a crucial role in translating federally funded research into science-based actions that sustain economic growth and healthy ecosystems in coastal communities. Coastal, marine, and Great Lakes aquaculture programs are identified in Sea Grant’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan as a key part of “Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture,” a major thematic area. Congressional funding for Sea Grant’s aquaculture initiatives increased from $4.5 million in 2014 to $14 million in 2023. In 2016, the Sea Grant Association published the 10-Year NOAA Sea Grant Aquaculture Vision, which anticipated an investment of $50 million to $100 million in aquaculture research and technology transfer. Given the evolving landscape of aquaculture and these increased investments, a 10-Year Sea Grant Aquaculture Roadmap was needed.

ERG worked with the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium and NOAA Sea Grant to develop the 10-Year Sea Grant Aquaculture Roadmap (2025-2035), a comprehensive plan designed to enhance sustainable aquaculture development across the United States. The Roadmap will help guide Sea Grant’s aquaculture investments to address the needs of the coastal, marine, and Great Lakes U.S. aquaculture community; support aquaculture businesses and jobs within an evolving social, ecological, and economic landscape; and inform Congress, the aquaculture community, NOAA, and other state and federal agencies about the roles and services that Sea Grant provides to foster sustainable U.S. aquaculture. Through collaborations with farmers, federal and state agencies, scientists, educators, Sea Grant Extension personnel, and other members of the aquaculture community, Sea Grant’s plan supports the development of a robust and sustainable seafood industry.