• The United States mainly imports seafood from China, Thailand, Canada, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Ecuador.
• Our top imports (by volume) include shrimp, freshwater fish, tuna, salmon, groundfish, crab, and squid. Check out U.S. foreign trade statistics.
• Trade tracking programs monitor the international trade of some species such as bluefin tuna, swordfish, bigeye tuna, and Chilean sea bass by requiring that imports include documentation of details on catch—such as what gear was used and when and where the fish was caught.

• Advancing science-based management; for example, setting sustainable catch limits based on sound scientific advice. Encouraging fishing partners to participate in stock assessments and to improve data collection, monitoring, and reporting is critical to strengthening the quality of scientific advice.
• Avoiding interactions with unwanted bycatch and using techniques to minimize harm to any ocean wildlife that is captured unintentionally.
• Ensuring nations are in compliance with international conservation and management measures.
• Combatting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which deprives legal fishermen and coastal communities of up to $23 billion in seafood and seafood products annually and threatens the long-term sustainability of global seafood supplies. IUU fishing can include activities such as:
  • Fishing without a license or quota for certain species.
  • Unauthorized transshipments to cargo vessels.
  • Failing to report catches or making false reports.
  • Keeping undersized fish or fish that are otherwise protected by regulations.
  • Fishing in closed areas or during closed seasons.
  • Using prohibited fishing gear.

• NOAA participates with other agencies such as the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Coast Guard in a broad range of international agreements. Regional fishery management organizations provide forums for fishing nations that share access to fish stocks to decide on appropriate management and conservation measures.
• NOAA is actively addressing IUU fishing so that legal and sustainable fisheries are not disadvantaged by IUU activities. Our goal is to ensure that the U.S. import market—a significant source of global demand for seafood—does not encourage or reward illegal and unsustainable activity.

In the United States, we already have measures in place to restrict port entry and access to port services to vessels included on the IUU lists of regional fishery management organizations of which the United States is a member. A recently introduced Senate bill would implement an international agreement on Port State Measures that would benefit U.S. fishermen, seafood buyers, and consumers by keeping illegal seafood out of global trade.

• We also work individually with other countries that have an interest in our management model, which uses the best available science to actively monitor and manage fisheries. Through these partnerships, the United States provides technical assistance in areas such as scientific data collection, legal frameworks, and enforcement programs.

Asia dominates global aquaculture production, accounting for 89 percent of global production. China alone accounts for 62 percent of global aquaculture production. Aquaculture production in the United States has not kept pace with production increases in other parts of the world.

The United States now ranks 13th in total aquaculture production behind China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Norway, Chile, the Philippines, Japan, Egypt, and Myanmar.

NOAA Fisheries estimates that the United States imports more than 80 percent of the seafood we eat. We further estimate that about half of this imported seafood is from aquaculture. This results in a large and growing annual seafood trade deficit of more than $10.4 billion. Most aquaculture imports are shrimp, followed by Atlantic salmon, tilapia, and shellfish (scallops, mussels, clams, and oysters).

Most of the seafood products listed below are farm-raised. However, some are from wild harvest, and our current trade statistics do not allow us to break down how much comes from each source.

• Shrimp—Asian countries and Ecuador supply most to the U.S. market.
• Atlantic salmon—Canada, Norway, and Chile supply most.
• Tilapia—China supplies most, followed by Indonesia, Ecuador, and Honduras.
• Scallops—mainly imported from China, followed by Canada, Mexico, Japan, Argentina, and the Philippines.
• Mussels—Canada, New Zealand, and Chile supply most.
• Clams—Asian countries and Canada supply most.
• Oysters—mainly imported from China, South Korea, and Canada.

Regulation of aquaculture operations varies widely by species, farming system, and country. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for ensuring that seafood imports are safe for U.S. consumers. NOAA’s Seafood Inspection Program works closely with the FDA on this effort, offering a variety services that ensure compliance with all applicable food regulations, including audits of seafood processing plants, product inspection, and training.

For more information on how aquaculture is regulated in the United States, visit the Fisheries Aquaculture Policy.