The University of Maine’s (UMaine) Local Catch Network is partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help commercial fishermen and seafood businesses better access federal funding, technical assistance and markets through the agency’s newly created Office of Seafood.
Under the agreement, the Local Catch Network will serve as a bridge between the seafood industry and the USDA by leading outreach, hosting informational webinars and listening sessions, and gathering input from fishermen, processors, and distributors as the federal government develops a broader national seafood strategy.
The partnership comes just months after the USDA Office of Seafood was announced on April 15, following President Donald Trump’s executive order, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness,” and the passage of federal appropriations legislation.
The office is the first within USDA dedicated specifically to seafood and is intended to coordinate seafood-related work across the department while helping fishermen and seafood businesses better access existing grants, loans, conservation programs and other services.
“Following the initial announcement of the Office of Seafood, the USDA received hundreds of direct inquiries from domestic seafood harvesters seeking clarity on program eligibility and calling for a targeted seafood marketing strategy,” Michael Illenberg, interim director of the Office of Seafood, said in the UMaine announcement.
Illenberg said the new agreement is intended to address those questions and help integrate seafood harvesting, processing and distribution into USDA programs that have historically been more closely associated with land-based agriculture.
That disconnect has long been a concern for the seafood industry.
“Despite 50 years of progress and recognition that aquatic and marine foods make important contributions to the food and nutrition needs of the nation, the seafood sector remains somewhat disconnected from USDA,” said Joshua Stoll, Local Catch Network co-founder and associate professor of marine policy at UMaine.
Stoll said the Office of Seafood could help change that by expanding opportunities for fishing communities and harvesters while increasing Americans’ access to domestic seafood.
Bringing fishermen into the conversation
The Local Catch Network, established in 2011 and based at UMaine, has more than 2,500 members representing fishing communities across North America. Its work focuses on supporting community-based seafood systems through business development, technical assistance, research and information sharing.
As part of the USDA partnership, the network will host virtual sessions explaining programs available to harvesters, processors and distributors. Listening sessions will also give industry members an opportunity to tell federal officials where existing programs fall short and what support they would like to see moving forward.
A national trade panel at the 2026 Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle will provide another opportunity for fishermen and seafood businesses to engage with federal officials.
Feedback gathered through those events will eventually be compiled into a report outlining priorities and recommendations from the seafood sector.
“This collaboration helps ensure that industry voices remain at the heart of the America First Seafood Strategy, setting clear expectations for support while building a competitive, fair and resilient future for American seafood producers,” said Jessica Gribbon Joyce, Local Catch Network program manager.
USDA is also working with NOAA and other federal agencies on a broader national seafood strategy. Priorities include expanding domestic processing capacity, promoting U.S. fisheries and aquaculture products, increasing consumer awareness of seafood’s health benefits and expanding seafood purchases through federal nutrition programs.
For fishermen, the effort could also mean greater access to federal programs that have traditionally been difficult for seafood businesses to navigate.
Stoll and researchers with the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA) previously studied USDA’s history of seafood grant funding, documenting gaps in federal support and making the case for more fully incorporating seafood businesses into the department’s programs.
“The USDA and NOAA play an important role in building a resilient seafood sector,” said Elizabeth Dubovsky, strategy director for the ALFA and a co-author of the analysis. “Combining access to USDA funding with NOAA’s regulatory oversight offers our fishing communities an opportunity to expand domestic and global access to some of the best seafood on the planet at a critical inflection point for many community-based fishing businesses.”
The Local Catch Network will continue announcing webinars, listening sessions, and other opportunities for fishermen and seafood businesses to participate as the partnership moves forward.
