US Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) have introduced the Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act of 2025 to advance the development of open ocean aquaculture in federal waters.
The MARA Act would authorise the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Aquaculture and establish commercial-scale demonstration projects. These projects would direct NOAA to permit offshore aquaculture, creating opportunities for the aquaculture industry to grow. It will also fund workforce development and Aquaculture Centres of Excellence to improve workforce and industry capacity.
“Aquaculture is an important part of Mississippi’s economic growth. The Marine Aquaculture Research for America Act would cut red tape for job creators on the Gulf Coast and improve workforce development. Increasing seafood infrastructure at ports is necessary to have a thriving and sustainable industry. This legislation would promote seafood production in the United States and would decrease American reliance on seafood imports,” Senator Wicker said.
“Offshore aquaculture can help meet growing seafood demand, support coastal economies, and reduce imports. Our bill will support the responsible assessment of offshore aquaculture by expanding research and supporting workforce and infrastructure development,” Senator Schatz said.
According to Kelly Lucas, Vice President for Research at the University of Southern Mississippi, the MARA Act of 2025 represents a significant and strategic step forward in securing America’s food future, supporting coastal communities and expanding the blue economy.
“By investing in responsible aquaculture, workforce development, and collaborative innovation, this legislation ensures that the US leads in sustainable seafood production while safeguarding our ocean ecosystems. We applaud Senators Wicker and Schatz for their bipartisan leadership in advancing aquaculture policy,” Lucas said.
Neil Sims, Founder and CEO of Ocean Era in Kona, Hawaii, commented: “The future of seafood must be both sustainable and scalable – and offshore aquaculture offers an opportunity to meet both those criteria. However, to meet offshore aquaculture’s promise here in the US, we need a permitting pathway that provides clear guardrails, supported by rigorous science, with a transparent process for public input.
“The MARA Act provides exactly that – a thoughtful framework to ensure that this industry grows in a way that produces delicious, nutritious, locally-grown seafood, while also complementing our wild fisheries, supporting coastal economies, and earning public trust through high standards and real accountability.”
Stronger America Through Seafood Campaign Manager Drue Banta Winters added: “Open ocean aquaculture can sustainably complement wild-capture harvesting to meet growing demand for fresh, American-raised seafood, create new job opportunities and encourage investment in working waterfront communities. We thank Senators Schatz and Wicker for their leadership in introducing legislation that will allow us to demonstrate how the US can grow more of its own seafood here at home – and do so responsibly and sustainably, just like it’s already being done today in countries abroad and in our own state waters.”
