White House Vows to Boost U.S. Seafood with Fewer Rules
Published Date: 4/22/2025
Presidential Document
Summary
The U.S. is boosting its seafood game by cutting red tape, fighting unfair foreign trade, and protecting American fishermen. This means fewer rules holding back our fishing industry, safer seafood on your plate, and stronger coastal jobs. Starting now, expect smarter policies and new actions to help America catch and sell more homegrown seafood, closing the $20 billion trade gap.
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Cutting Red Tape for Commercial Fishermen
You run a commercial fishing or seafood processing business: within 30 days of April 17, 2025 the Secretary of Commerce must identify the most heavily overregulated fisheries and immediately consider suspending, revising, or rescinding fishery-specific regulations. Regional Fishery Management Councils must provide updated recommendations within 180 days to reduce burdens, stabilize markets, and increase production.
More Fishing Permits and Modern Data
The Secretary of Commerce will direct the National Marine Fisheries Service to expand exempted fishing permit programs and, as soon as practicable, incorporate less expensive, more reliable technologies and cooperative research into fishery assessments to modernize data collection and improve responsiveness to real-time ocean conditions.
America First Seafood Marketing Push
The Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Agriculture must develop and implement an "America First Seafood Strategy" to promote production, marketing, sale, and export of U.S. fishery and aquaculture products and to strengthen domestic processing capacity; the program will also accelerate USDA efforts to educate consumers and increase seafood purchases in nutrition programs.
Trade Strategy to Tackle Unfair Seafood Practices
Within 60 days of April 17, 2025 the Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative must assess seafood competitiveness and jointly develop a comprehensive seafood trade strategy to improve foreign market access and address unfair trade practices, including illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and unjustified non-tariff barriers; the U.S. Trade Representative will also examine forced labor concerns and consider responses including under section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Targeted Import Checks to Block Illegal Seafood
The Secretary of Commerce, with HHS and Homeland Security, must immediately consider revising or rescinding recent expansions of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program for unnecessary species and better target high-risk shipments; the agencies shall use cost savings to improve checks at U.S. ports to prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) seafood from entering the market and consider improved technology to detect foreign fishery violations.
Review Monuments for Commercial Fishing Access
Within 180 days of April 17, 2025 the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, must review all existing marine national monuments and provide recommendations to the President on any that should be opened to commercial fishing, considering consistency with preservation of historic and scientific objects identified in the original proclamations.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-15357, Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution
2026-15274, Actions by the United States in the Investigations Under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 of the Acts, Policies, and Practices of 60 Economies Related to the Failure of Each Economy To Impose and Effectively Enforce a Prohibition on the Importation of Goods Produced With Forced Labor
2026-14997, Imposing Additional Duties To Offset Canadian Discrimination Against the Commerce of the United States With Respect to Motor Vehicles
The U.S. is hitting back at Canada for unfairly charging extra taxes on American cars and car parts, making it harder for U.S. businesses to compete. Starting now, the U.S. will add extra duties on certain Canadian imports to balance the playing field and protect American jobs. This means more costs for some Canadian vehicles and a fairer deal for U.S. automakers and workers.
2026-14992, Imposing Additional Duties To Offset Canadian Discrimination Against the Commerce of the United States With Respect to Dairy
The U.S. is slapping extra duties on Canadian dairy imports because Canada treats American dairy products unfairly compared to those from the EU. This change hits Canadian cheese imports and aims to level the playing field for U.S. dairy farmers by making Canada pay for its discrimination. These new duties kick in soon and could impact prices and sales on both sides of the border.
2026-14999, Made in America Week, 2026
Made in America Week 2026 celebrates the comeback of U.S. manufacturing, thanks to new trade deals and smart policies that bring jobs and factories back home. American workers and businesses are winning big with billions in investments, tax cuts, and rules that make sure products labeled 'Made in USA' really are. This week reminds us all that building America’s future starts with buying and making things right here at home.
2026-14991, Imposing Additional Duties To Offset Canadian Discrimination Against the Commerce of the United States With Respect to Alcoholic Beverages
Canada has unfairly blocked U.S. alcoholic drinks from being sold in most of its provinces since March 2025, hurting American businesses and workers. To fight back, the U.S. is adding extra taxes on certain Canadian imports to balance the playing field. These new duties kick in right away and aim to protect U.S. commerce from this unfair treatment.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-07061, 250th Anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord
The U.S. is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first big fight of the American Revolution. This proclamation honors the brave patriots who stood up for freedom on April 19, 1775, inspiring the birth of our nation. Everyone is invited to remember this historic moment, with special events planned throughout 2025 to mark the occasion.
Next: 2025-07239, Honoring the Memory of His Holiness Pope Francis
To honor the memory of Pope Francis, the President has ordered U.S. flags to fly at half-staff on all public buildings, military posts, and U.S. embassies worldwide until sunset on the day of his burial. This affects government buildings and facilities both in the U.S. and abroad, showing respect without any cost impact. The tribute lasts only until the day Pope Francis is laid to rest.