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(Washington, D.C., September 18, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick jointly published an opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News highlighting the new America First seafood strategy in Alaska.
“During his first term, President Trump issued an executive order on "Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth," and in April of this year, he reaffirmed his commitment with his Executive Order on 'Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.’ This latest order contained a provision, “A New Era of Seafood Policy,” that promotes productive seafood harvests; unburdens commercial fishermen from costly and inefficient regulation; combats illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; and protects our seafood markets from the unfair trade practices of foreign nations,” said Secretary Rollins.
Read the full piece below.
In 1787, Alexander Hamilton stressed the need for a united national effort to protect America’s ocean resources from stagnation and unfair foreign trade practices. Absent vigorous federal action to free our fisheries from barriers to growth and trade, “that unequalled spirit of enterprise, which signalises the genius of the American Merchants and Navigators, and which is in itself an inexhaustible mine of national wealth, would be stifled and lost.”
Since Hamilton wrote those words, Alaska became first a territory, then the 49th state in the Union, cementing itself as a linchpin of the nation’s food supply, economy and national security.
Alaska has the largest federal fisheries in the nation—roughly 60% of America’s harvest by volume. The Alaska seafood industry produces roughly $6 billion in economic output for the state and employs 48,000 Alaskans.
In addition to feeding our own citizens, fisheries products are among the top three U.S. food, agriculture and related product export categories, and there is soaring global demand for these high-quality, high-value commodities.
Suffice to say, the Alaska seafood industry and its enterprising spirit are vital for preserving America’s way of life.
Despite our bountiful ocean resources and the hard work of our fishermen, federal overregulation has restricted the harvest of seafood through restrictive catch limits, selling our fishing grounds to foreign offshore wind companies, unreliable fisheries data, and delayed adoption of modern technology.
Moreover, decades of unfair trade practices forced upon our great American producers by other nations have eroded the competitiveness of our seafood markets. Non-market economies overseas deceptively label their products and use predatory pricing strategies to gain market share from U.S. industry, while even many of our allies suffocate our seafood exports through stringent tariff and non-tariff barriers alike.
This situation is not sustainable, and America deserves better.
President Trump has already begun fixing the mess he inherited, implementing an America First Seafood Strategy that inspires the industry in Alaska with hope for a more prosperous future.
During his first term, President Trump issued an executive order on "Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth," and in April of this year he reaffirmed his commitment with his Executive Order on "Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness." This latest order contained a provision, “A New Era of Seafood Policy,” that promotes productive seafood harvests; unburdens commercial fishermen from costly and inefficient regulation; combats illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; and protects our seafood markets from the unfair trade practices of foreign nations.
The One Big Beautiful Bill that President Trump signed into law this summer helps usher in this new era, benefiting the Alaska seafood industry like never before. In addition to maintaining small business deductions that promote local economic growth, it streamlined federal environmental reviews and doubled USDA’s investment in trade promotion program funding.
These new funds represent a substantial and sustained increase in resources dedicated to growing U.S. agricultural exports worldwide.
To that end, USDA purchases a variety of Alaska seafood products to support numerous domestic nutrition support programs and provide market support for Alaska’s seafood sector. By the end of this year, we will have purchased approximately 66 million pounds of Alaskan pollock products, which includes the Section 32 program’s single largest purchase ever authorized of up to $100 million. These purchases not only benefit the charitable feeding network fostered by USDA’s nutrition assistance programs, but they also help secure the enduring stability of the U.S. seafood supply chain.
To facilitate America First trade deals and improve market access, USDA works closely with other federal agencies in diplomacy with foreign partners. Our Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) also provides promotional funding to the Alaska seafood industry to help it expand exports into emerging global markets.
Now is the time to ensure that healthy, competitive, and sustainable fisheries in Alaska can produce an abundant, safe, and affordable supply of products. The success of this industry will fuel rural prosperity and safeguard our national security for years to come.
The next time you enjoy a delicious seafood meal from Alaska, consider the enterprising industry that brought it to your plate and the unwavering support it receives from President Trump. We are eager to continue working with the president, our fellow cabinet members, and industry leaders to secure more wins for the Alaska seafood industry, which are wins for the American people.
Brooke L. Rollins is the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Howard Lutnick is the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
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