USDA Office of Seafood &
Local Catch Network Partnership
About the Collaboration
Established in April 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Seafood was created to expand the seafood sector’s access to USDA programs, services, and resources. Recognizing the importance of this opportunity, the Local Catch Network is partnering with the Office of Seafood to increase awareness of existing USDA resources available to seafood harvesters, processors, distributors, and the communities they support. The partnership will also identify gaps, critical needs, and emerging opportunities to help inform the Office of Seafood’s future priorities. This work is supported through a cooperative agreement between the University of Maine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
What to Expect
- Opportunities to inform the priorities of the Office of
Seafood. - Opportunities to learn about USDA resources, tools, and
services for the seafood sector. - Opportunities to bring attention to the role of seafood in
our food systems.
Webinar: From the Ground Up
Learn more about USDA programs, structure, and assistance available to domestic seafood businesses, as well as opportunities to expand access.
Date and Time TBA
Join us for a session with the USDA Office of Seafood that will serve as a baseline to assist with recommendations from domestic seafood communities, organizations, and businesses.
What You’ll Learn
- Bullet points TBD
Webinar: America First Seafood Strategy
An introduction to a cross-agency approach to amplifying domestic seafood production, sales, and value
Date and Time TBA
Join us for a session with the USDA Office of Seafood that will review the America First Seafood Strategy and how its priorities intersect with USDA programs.
What You’ll Learn
- Bullet points TBD
Webinar: Implementation of the America First Seafood Strategy at USDA
USDA staff presents its approach to the cross-agency strategy based on feedback from listening sessions and other seafood community input
Date and Time TBA: Spring 2027
Join us for a session with the USDA Office of Seafood that will review USDA implementation of the America First Seafood Strategy through agency programs.
What You’ll Learn
- Bullet points TBD
LCN hosts webinars and community forums on a range of topics. See the network’s full roster of recorded sessions and upcoming events at our Webinars and Community Forums page.