(New York, NY, Wednesday, June 2, 2021) – Do you know where your fish sticks, salmon patty or shrimp are from? America imports 85% of all the seafood we eat, half of which is raised via aquaculture. Much of this farmed seafood comes from countries that may not live up to the strong safety protocols, environmental standards, or other best practices that we adhere to in the United States. And our reliance on imported seafood means the U.S. is losing out on good-paying jobs and better food security. That’s why Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has just launched a national effort to raise the awareness of sustainable aquaculture and to chart a responsible path forward in the U.S.

Leading this charge at EDF is Eric Schwaab, senior vice president for ecosystems and oceans. He is available to talk about why we need to take a close look at aquaculture now and how we can make sure it’s done right. Schwaab led the National Marine Fisheries Service at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under the Obama Administration.

The U.S. is the world’s second largest consumer of seafood. In 2018 alone, the average American ate 16.1 pounds of seafood, according to NOAA. Demand in the U.S. and abroad will only continue to grow with global demand projected to be at least 232 million metric tons by 2030.

Aquaculture has risks—fish farm equipment failures, fish escapes, wildlife entanglements, interaction with wild-capture fisheries and pollution from farms can impact ocean ecosystems and coastal communities—but EDF believes that with the right regulatory and policy framework, both wild-capture and offshore aquaculture can be part of a sound healthy ocean strategy, one that protects marine life, puts more climate-friendly sources of protein on our plates, and delivers good jobs and economic growth to a diverse array of Americans.

Environmental Defense Fund’s mission is to preserve the natural systems on which all life depends. Guided by science and economics, they find practical and lasting solutions to the most serious environmental problems.