Seafood Smart

Seafood is an important part of a healthy diet, and responsible aquaculture plays a crucial role in reducing the strain on our ocean while supplying food and social benefits.

The ocean is the life support system of the planet, and its health is critical to the air we breathe and the water we drink. The ocean allows for life on earth by regulating climate, providing a livelihood for millions of people and supplying us with food. Wild fisheries alone cannot meet the demand for marine protein as our human population grows to over 9 billion people by 2050. Aquaculture generally produces more animal protein using fewer resources. As such, responsibly farmed seafood is critical to food security and ecosystem health.

Aquaculture is the fastest growing food sector in the world, regulated by an ever-increasing set of both self-imposed and government-mandated standards based upon environmental, economic and social impacts.

Worldwide aquaculture production has grown annually since 1970, and farmed seafood now makes up more than half of the global seafood supply. Regulation of aquaculture operations varies by species, farming system and country. In the U.S., already a model for well-managed wild fisheries, seafood farmers follow the same strict food safety guidelines as land farmers. For imported seafood, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration works closely with NOAA's Seafood Inspection Program to ensure that imported products are safe.

Seafood supports the livelihood of over 120 million people around the world and is the largest global food commodity. Aquaculture contributes to the economic health and stability of surrounding communities by creating jobs and stimulating the market.

Commercial fishing, aquaculture and related activities contribute over $7 billion to the U.S. economy. Although the aquaculture industry in the United States is small, it produces over 600 million pounds of seafood annually and is worth $1.4 billion dollars. It provides important jobs and supports working waterfronts along our coasts.

Aquaculture: The breeding, rearing and harvesting of plants and animals in water environments, including ponds, rivers, lakes, oceans, and land-based systems. Aquaculture is also often referred to as fish or seafood farming.
Source: NOAA

Carbon footprint: The amount of carbon dioxide emissions produced by a specific activity. Aquaculture generally has a lower carbon footprint than other animal protein sources.
Source: FAO

Ecolabels: Voluntary, independent or third party certification or assessment processes that rate a product for its environmental performance. Examples include the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Global Aquaculture Alliance Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) and Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.
Source: Oceana

Farm systems: Methods for aquaculture vary based on the species being farmed and where the farm is located; types of farms include recirculating aquaculture systems, net pens, raceways, ponds and submersible pens.
Source: Seafood Watch

Hatchery: A hatchery is a hybrid of a laboratory and a farm, where fish and shellfish are spawned, then hatched and cared for. Hatcheries provide the seed for aquaculture systems and some commercial fisheries.
Source: NOAA

Ocean acidification: A term that refers to the reduction in pH across the global ocean, caused by its absorption of excess carbon dioxide. The resulting chemical reactions lowers pH, resulting in more acidic seawater which affects the availability of calcium carbonate to shell-building animals such as oysters and crabs.
Source: National Aquarium

Sea vegetables: Edible algae or seaweed, including kelp, nori, sea grapes and arame.
Source: FAO