This bill aims to increase support for the aquaculture and seafood industry. It directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide equal consideration and funding for aquaculture producers as it does for animal agriculture. The bill also requires USDA to educate its staff on aquaculture and conduct research to improve environmental sustainability and adaptability of seafood products.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill aims to increase support for the aquaculture and seafood industry. It directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide equal consideration and funding for aquaculture producers as it does for animal agriculture. The bill also requires USDA to educate its staff on aquaculture and conduct research to improve environmental sustainability and adaptability of seafood products.
Last updated: 12/30/2025
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Supporting Equity for Aquaculture and Seafood Act or the SEAS Act</strong></p><p>This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase support for aquaculture grants and assistance. (Aquaculture is the controlled breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish, shellfish, and sea vegetables.)</p><p>Specifically, the bill directs USDA to give aquaculture producers the same consideration as animal agriculture producers in awarding grants or other assistance. Further, USDA must ensure adequate and fair funding levels for aquaculture producers under USDA programs. USDA must also provide its staff with specific education and trainings on aquaculture. </p><p>USDA must submit to Congress (1) an annual report that includes information on USDA seafood and aquaculture purchases and grants, and (2) a report on USDA's role in supporting aquaculture and the seafood industry.</p><p>USDA must make competitive grants (e.g., to regional aquaculture centers or nonprofit organizations) to develop next generation technology to reduce pollution and fuel usage in the seafood and aquaculture industries. Further, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative program grants must address methods of increasing the survival rate and adaptability of shellfish, including resistance to heat, disease, salinity, and acidification.</p><p>In addition, the federal crop insurance program (FCIP) must research and develop a policy to insure aquaculture products and the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (the agency that finances FCIP operations) must establish a policy to insure aquaculture products. </p><!--tinycomments|2.1|data:application/json;base64,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-->
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Requires USDA to give aquaculture producers the same level of grants and assistance as animal agriculture producers
Mandates USDA to provide staff training and education on aquaculture
Directs USDA to research and develop new technologies to reduce pollution and fuel usage in aquaculture and seafood industries
Requires USDA to establish a federal crop insurance policy to cover aquaculture products
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
This bill would primarily benefit the aquaculture and seafood industries by increasing federal support and resources. Aquaculture producers would gain access to more USDA funding and programs, which could help them expand operations and improve sustainability. Consumers may also benefit from increased seafood supply and potentially lower prices. Additionally, the research and technology development provisions could lead to environmental improvements in aquaculture practices.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Agriculture and Food
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
5087, 119th Congress (2025). "FLIGHT Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-5087
