A person tends to oyster beds at an oyster farm in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. (Image credit: NOAA Fisheries)

NOAA Strengthens Commitment to Aquaculture Through New Cooperative Institute

6/28/2026 - By noaa.gov, noaa.gov. Today, NOAA announced the University of New Hampshire as host institution for the new NOAA Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and Markets (CIFARM) to expand NOAA’s impact and strengthen efforts to boost American seafood competitiveness. After a highly competitive application process, this new five-year cooperative institute will harness partnerships… SEE MORE
Apprentice Kailey Triant, from the 2025 Apprenticeship in Shellfish Aquaculture Program, sorts oysters for market with partner farmer Lisa Calvo of Sweet Amalia Oyster Farm. Separating marketable oysters from smaller ones is a way that farmers manage their inventory while ensuring that a high-quality product is provided to consumers.

5 Ways Aquaculture is Boosting Coastal Economies

3/26/2026 - By seagrant.noaa.gov, seagrant.noaa.gov.   1. Supporting disaster recovery for Louisiana’s crawfish industry In 2023, record-setting drought and extreme heat devastated Louisiana’s crawfish industry, a critical aquaculture sector that supports thousands of jobs and significantly contributes to the state’s economy. Louisiana Sea Grant worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to document the… SEE MORE
Crew aboard a small boat operated by the Seagrove Kelp Company harvests farmed kelp from an inlet in southeast Alaska. Undated image. (Image credit: NOAA Fisheries)

New Atlas Identifies Potential Opportunities for Aquaculture in Gulf of Alaska

2/21/2026 - By noaa.gov, noaa.gov. NOAA published today the Atlas for Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs)offsite link, identifying 77 locations that may be suitable for sustainable shellfish and seaweed aquaculture operations in the Gulf of Alaska. This effort is part of NOAA’s commitment to prioritize American seafood competitiveness while strengthening the nation’s seafood industry,… SEE MORE
Thomas Piecuch flips floating oyster bags on his farm (Credit: Holy Ground Oyster Company).

Celebrating Aquaculture Week: Farming from Tide to Table

9/25/2025 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. Aquaculture Week 2025 offers a chance to learn how marine aquaculture—or farmed seafood—is vital for supporting our nation’s seafood production and jobs on the water, enhancing coastal resilience, and more. National Aquaculture Week celebrates increasing access to fresh seafood while protecting coastal resources. Seafood farming, if done responsibly… SEE MORE
Image Credits: Noaa.gov.

Aquaculture Opportunity Areas bolster America-first seafood production

9/19/2025 - By noaa.gov. Areas identified in Gulf of America and off California coast will drive American jobs, sustainable seafood farming. As part of NOAA’s commitment to prioritizing American seafood competitiveness, the agency has identified 13 Aquaculture Opportunity Areas totaling more than 21,000 acres in U.S. federal waters of the Gulf of America and… SEE MORE
The annual Seagriculture, USA Conference took place in Ketchikan, Alaska.

Connecting Aquaculture Enthusiasts from Across the World

11/16/2024 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. Ketchikan, Alaska hosts the third annual Seagriculture, USA International Seaweed Conference. Members of the NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region Aquaculture team attended the international seaweed growing conference Seagriculture, USA Sept.11-12 in Ketchikan, Alaska. The 2024 conference marks the event’s debut in Alaska, an exciting distinction for the growing Alaska aquaculture industry. Participants… SEE MORE
Image Credits: Fisheries.noaa.gov.

New Calculator Helps Oyster Growers Measure the Water Quality Benefits of Farms

11/15/2024 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. The new tool provides a science-based estimate of how much nitrogen oyster farms remove from local waterways. It generates a report that can be used in the aquaculture permitting process. When it comes to removing excess nutrients from waterways, shellfish are a powerhouse. The NOAA Milford Lab in Connecticut studies… SEE MORE