Senator Collins’ Statement on the Creation of the USDA Office of Seafood

This first-of-its-kind office will help expand access to transformative USDA programs for American seafood cultivators, producers, and processors

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins released the following statement announcing the creation of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Seafood:

"Fishing is the very foundation of Maine's heritage. Today, the seafood industry in our region generates more than $5 billion in income and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, in addition to providing a nutritious food supply, delicious restaurant meals, and sustaining entire coastal communities. I appreciate that USDA is recognizing our fishermen as farmers of the sea and establishing the Office of Seafood. The creation of this office is a long-overdue, essential step to expanding seats at the table for our hardworking fishing families, who are a key piece of our nation's history and our future as well."

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The USDA Office of Seafood will expand federal support for America's fishermen and seafood harvesters, and ensure fishermen, small businesses, and coastal communities have greater access to USDA programs. It will also coordinate across USDA agencies to ensure fishermen are able to interact directly with the U.S. Department of Commerce and other federal partners to revitalize the American seafood industry.

Senator Collins has been a strong advocate for Maine's fishermen and women and the seafood industry. Senator Collins led the Maine delegation in securing a provision in the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations legislation that protected the Maine lobster fishery from unfair federal regulation for six years. Since the enactment of this provision, Senator Collins has secured more than $80 million in funding for North Atlantic Right Whale research and monitoring through her role on the Senate Appropriations Committee. This research supports Maine's lobster industry by improving the quality of the data used to inform federal regulations.

Senator Collins also led efforts to rebuild Maine's working waterfronts. After back-to-back storms in January 2024 that caused significant damage to Maine's coast, Senator Collins secured $15 million to help communities recover from coastal infrastructure damage in the Fiscal Year 2024 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Act. The legislation included $10 million, administered through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, to repair and renovate infrastructure affected by recent storms, and $5 million to establish a new program at the Economic Development Administration (EDA) for working waterfronts.

The announcement came during the week of the fiftieth anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Act-the primary law governing marine fisheries in U.S. federal waters.

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