April 18, 2025 — President Donald Trump’s executive order to boost the U.S. commercial fishing industry drew praise from commercial fishing groups and condemnation from environmental organizations who said they fear cutting regulations will harm fish populations that have already dwindled in some areas of the oceans.
The order represents a dramatic shift in federal policy on fishing in U.S. waters by prioritizing commercial fishing interests over efforts to allow the fish supply to increase.
The president described his decision as “an easy one” that will improve the U.S. commercial fishing industry by peeling back regulations and opening up harvesting in previously protected areas.
“The United States should be the world’s dominant seafood leader,” he said Thursday, citing the nation’s seafood trade deficit, which is more than $20 billion.
Fishermen said they see a brighter future thanks to the Trump executive order. The changes represent a “thoughtful, strategic approach” that could be a lifeline to America’s fishermen, said Lisa Wallenda Picard, president and chief executive officer of the National Fisheries Institute in Virginia.
“The EO outlines key actions to benefit every link in the supply chain — from hardworking fishermen to parents who serve their family this nutritious and sustainable protein at home,” Wallenda Picard said. “Importantly, the order calls for reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens on fishermen and seafood producers while also promoting the many benefits of eating seafood as part of a healthy, balanced diet.”