US has potential to achieve seafood independence

From lobster to haddock and seaweed, seafood plays an important role in the US economy, diet and culture. The nation is one of the top producers of marine and aquatic foods worldwide, but also the second largest seafood importer. Through extensive data analysis and calculations, University of Maine researchers have found that the US could achieve seafood independence, or meet its entire seafood needs, through its own production. But, according to their new study in the academic journal Ocean Sustainability, published by Nature, “achieving greater seafood independence would require shifts in consumer behaviour, investments in infrastructure and continual adaptation in the face of climate change.” Becoming seafood independent offers opportunities for the US to improve dietary outcomes, as well as individual and national food security, particularly against disruptions in global supply chains, according to the research team. Despite its capacity to rely solely on the seafood that it ...