ASMI Celebrates Creation of USDA Office of Seafood

ASMI, along with many in the Alaska and US seafood industry, celebrated the welcome news Wednesday about the creation of the Office of Seafood in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). ASMI thanks USDA Secretary Rollins, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Lutnick, Alaska’s U.S. Senators Sullivan and Murkowski, Alaska Congressman Begich, and countless others for their tireless work in making a long-held effort a reality. 

Find more details from the press release on the creation of the USDA Office of Seafood at https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2026/04/15/secretary-rollins-announces-creation-usda-office-seafood 

“Establishing an office of seafood within the USDA has been a collective vision of the U.S. seafood industry for many years,” said Jeremy Woodrow, executive director of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. “Just like our country’s farmers, America’s fishermen feed the world. Establishing this office will provide greater access to USDA programs and alignment with NOAA to ensure that our fishermen and seafood industry continue to thrive well into the future.”

The Alaska seafood harvesting and processing sectors directly employ approximately 15,000 Alaskans across more than 120 communities, where the industry is often the largest employer and taxpayer. More than 60 percent of all seafood harvested in the United States comes from Alaska, accounting for roughly 2.5 percent of the global wild seafood harvest. 

By strengthening coordination across federal agencies and aligning support for the seafood sector, the Office of Seafood is expected to enhance the long-term competitiveness of Alaska’s industry while supporting the fishermen, businesses and communities that depend on it.