By Wally Pereyra and Chris McReynolds – Exclusive to IntraFish
For far too long, the relationship between commercial fisheries and aquaculture has been overshadowed by misunderstanding and conflict.
A narrative took hold years ago that pitted one against the other — a myth-driven belief that if fish farming grows, commercial fishing must lose. That zero-sum thinking, outdated and unfounded, has cost our coastal communities opportunity, investment, and the ability to compete in a rapidly changing global seafood marketplace. As two people who have built our careers in science-based fisheries and seafood production, we believe the time has come — indeed, it is long overdue — for commercial fishing interests to stop opposing aquaculture.
We say this not as critics of commercial fishing, but as allies who understand the challenges fishermen face. We share the same goals: sustainable seafood production, thriving working waterfronts, and healthy marine ecosystems. And we believe deeply that the only way to achieve those goals in the years ahead is for wild harvest and aquaculture to work together, not against each other.
The truth is simple: wild fisheries and aquaculture are not adversaries. On the contrary, they are essential and complementary parts of the seafood category competing in the world protein market. Wild capture fisheries provide unmatched ecological value, cultural heritage, and world-class products. But even with strong, sustainable management, wild stocks alone cannot satisfy future—and growing—seafood demand.
Simply put, wild fish production has leveled off while aquaculture production has been steadily increasing. Even if wild capture numbers remain the same, increased aquaculture production is needed to meet the world’s increasing demand for protein. To meet that demand, the seafood industry needs to think beyond “us v. them” and think about the big picture: SEAFOOD. Aquaculture and wild capture should be viewed together as they are complementary parts of the seafood category competing in the world protein market.
Aquaculture offers a stable supply of seafood to the market, provides year-round jobs, and creates a way to expand our domestic seafood production without adding pressure to wild stocks. As we see it, we need to work together to meet consumer demand for seafood, period. Not “wild-caught” or “farm-raised,” but seafood.
And yet, myths persist: That aquaculture harms wild fish; that farms threaten ecosystems; or that farmed products devalue wild harvests.
These narratives may have been rooted in practices from decades ago, but they do not reflect the aquaculture industry that has evolved today. Science, technology, innovation, and regulation have transformed aquaculture into a far more controlled, transparent, and environmentally responsible sector.
Unfortunately, however, such myths still influence policy debates, newspaper headlines, and public perception — and fishermen often get caught in the middle. But resisting aquaculture based on outdated fears doesn’t protect fishing communities. It isolates them. It blocks investment. It cedes market share to other protein sources and to foreign producers whose environmental standards are often weaker than our own. And it prevents us from building a unified seafood economy that is resilient enough to withstand climate change and global competition.
The United States imports most of the seafood its people consume, including farmed species we could grow right here at home under strong oversight. That is a missed opportunity — one that hurts both fishermen and farmers. Working together, we can change that. Currently, we import more than 80% of the fish we consume in this country, and most of that is farm raised. This reliance on imported fish adds more than $20 billion a year to our trade deficit.
Imagine a future where fishermen help shape and participate in aquaculture growth, ensuring it aligns with local priorities and conservation goals. A future where the two sectors share cold storage facilities, distribution networks, innovation hubs, and market strategies to improve the position of all seafood in the world protein market. A future where fishermen diversify into farming when stocks fluctuate — or where aquaculture companies partner directly with fleets to stabilize supply chains. These aren’t distant hypotheticals. They are real opportunities already emerging in regions that have embraced collaboration rather than conflict.
We believe deeply in the skill, resilience, and stewardship ethic of commercial fishermen. Those qualities are exactly why fishermen should have a leading voice in how American aquaculture develops. We cannot afford to let misinformation divide the two sectors that ultimately need each other to thrive.
The world is changing, and the future of seafood will belong to producing countries that embrace both wild harvest and responsible aquaculture. The Pacific Northwest — with its maritime heritage, scientific expertise, strong seafood industry, and hardworking fishing communities — should be helping shape that future, not resist it.
How do we do that?
It’s time to move beyond myths.
It’s time to move beyond old divides.
And it’s time — long past time — for commercial fishermen and aquaculture to work together to secure a strong, sustainable, and competitive seafood future for the United States and its seafood industry.