Source: WHITE HOUSE, 5/7/20

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to strengthen the American economy; improve the competitiveness of American industry; ensure food security; provide environmentally safe and sustainable seafood; support American workers; ensure coordinated, predictable, and transparent Federal actions; and remove unnecessary regulatory burdens, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1.  Purpose.  America needs a vibrant and competitive seafood industry to create and sustain American jobs, put safe and healthy food on American tables, and contribute to the American economy.  Despite America’s bountiful aquatic resources, by weight our Nation imports over 85 percent of the seafood consumed in the United States.  At the same time, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing undermines the sustainability of American and global seafood stocks, negatively affects general ecosystem health, and unfairly competes with the products of law-abiding fishermen and seafood industries around the world.  More effective permitting related to offshore aquaculture and additional streamlining of fishery regulations have the potential to revolutionize American seafood production, enhance rural prosperity, and improve the quality of American lives.  By removing outdated and unnecessarily burdensome regulations; strengthening efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; improving the transparency and efficiency of environmental reviews; and renewing our focus on long-term strategic planning to facilitate aquaculture projects, we can protect our aquatic environments; revitalize our Nation’s seafood industry; get more Americans back to work; and put healthy, safe food on our families’ tables.

Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the Federal Government to:
(a)  identify and remove unnecessary regulatory barriers restricting American fishermen and aquaculture producers;
(b)  combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing;
(c)  provide good stewardship of public funds and stakeholder time and resources, and avoid duplicative, wasteful, or inconclusive permitting processes;
(d)  facilitate aquaculture projects through regulatory transparency and long-term strategic planning;
(e)  safeguard our communities and maintain a healthy aquatic environment;
(f)  further fair and reciprocal trade in seafood products; and
(g)  continue to hold imported seafood to the same food-safety requirements as domestically produced products.

To read the full order, click here.