During a routine inspection, a seafood buyer looks over a pallet of imported fish, scanning each label the way he’s done thousands of times.
The origins stretch across oceans—Indonesia, China, India—all routed through a maze of shipping lanes, customs checks, and transport hubs before landing on a U.S. dock weeks later.
It’s a system that works. Until it doesn’t.
One tariff, one port closure, or one conflict on the other side of the world can disrupt everything from delivery timelines to final costs.
But a few steps away sits a pallet carrying a very different label: “Product of U.S.A.”
He notices the difference immediately. Not just in the mileage, but in the color, the texture, the smell.
The domestic fish looks cleaner, firmer, fresher. It hasn’t taken a five-week voyage through multiple time zones. It hasn’t sat in a port backlog waiting for clearance. It hasn’t passed through a chain of processors that the buyer has never met.
For years, buyers overlooked domestic seafood because imported supply seemed plentiful and cheap. But each global disruption has chipped away at that illusion.
The United States has access to some of the most productive, responsibly managed fisheries in the world—waters that produce scallops, haddock, pollock, monkfish, and dozens of species that rarely get the spotlight.
And while 80% of the seafood Americans eat still comes from abroad, the winds of change are blowing through the supply chain…
The disruptions reshaping the seafood supply chain
In recent years, buyers have had a front-row seat to the weaknesses of global seafood logistics. Events that once felt distant—tariff changes, port congestion, conflicts in key shipping lanes—quickly became issues that directly affected U.S. buyers trying to keep shelves stocked and menus stable.
Canstra Fishing Co.’s VP of business development and sales, David Lancaster, who has worked across every level of the seafood industry for more than thirty years, watches these shifts closely. He sees a straight line between global volatility and buyer frustration.
“Every time the world hiccups, imported seafood takes the hit,” David says. “And buyers end up paying for delays they had no hand in creating.”
Those delays impact delivery schedules, price stability, planning, and consumer trust—all areas where domestic seafood offers real advantages.
An opportunity for American buyers
The United States imported $25.5 billion in seafood in 2023, outpacing exports by more than $20 billion.
Consumption keeps rising, but domestic sourcing has not kept pace. Instead, buyers lean on foreign production to fill demand for familiar species like shrimp, salmon, and tuna. It’s a model built on the assumption that international supply chains will function smoothly—even when the world doesn’t.
But the U.S. is ignoring its access to abundant, well-managed fisheries from New England to Alaska, producing species with excellent flavor, dependable seasons, and strong environmental oversight.
David sees the disconnect clearly.
“We have world-class fish right here,” he says. “The problem isn’t supply, it’s awareness. Buyers don’t always realize how many domestic options they actually have.”
Domestic seafood can’t replace every pound of imports, but now that buyers are starting to recognize the reliability, traceability, and flavor advantages sitting in their own waters, it won’t be long before it takes a far larger share of the market than it does today.
Control from boat to buyer
Domestic sourcing gives buyers something global supply chains can’t: control.
When seafood moves through American waters, American vessels, and American processors, each step becomes clearer and easier to manage. There are fewer handoffs, fewer surprises, and far fewer variables that can compromise quality.
For vertically integrated fleets like Canastra Fishing Co., that control extends even further.
Vessel ownership
Canastra Fishing Co. owns its boats. The company oversees every trip: how fish are handled, iced, and graded. Quality stays consistent because the people catching the product follow the same standards every season.
Controlled distribution
No overseas shipping lanes. No customs bottlenecks. No five-week transit from one hemisphere to another. Domestic deliveries move on predictable timelines that buyers can actually plan around.
Fair, stable pricing
Imported seafood prices shift with fuel spikes, insurance hikes, and tariff policy. Domestic pricing is tied to the fish, the labor, and the market, not international politics.
Skilled workers
Generations of experience mean fewer surprises, clearer forecasting, and a deeper understanding of how to maintain supply throughout the year.
David puts it simply, “The buyers I talk to want one thing above all: no surprises.
“Domestic fleets are the only way to deliver that level of consistency. That’s what allows Canastra Fishing Co. to become a true partner to domestic seafood buyers, not just a supplier.”
Traceability and compliance: A standard buyers can trust
The traceability and compliance burden grows heavier every year, especially for public institutions and national restaurant groups.
Yet, 20-32% of wild-caught seafood imported into the U.S. comes from IUU fishing (illegal, unreported, or unregulated operations). Once that product enters foreign supply chains, verifying its origin becomes nearly impossible.
Domestic fleets, on the other hand, operate under strict federal oversight, with reporting and documentation that follow every pound from vessel to buyer. This transparency reduces audit risk and strengthens trust at every stage of the chain.
“When your fish comes from New Bedford, you know exactly who caught it,” David says. “You can’t say that about a container that started its journey in another hemisphere.”
Strengthening American communities
Domestic seafood benefits more than buyers. It supports coastal communities, processing facilities, distributors, and the generational knowledge that keeps American fisheries strong.
Buyers who partner with domestic suppliers keep economic value rooted in the towns that built this industry. Every domestic order keeps revenue moving through U.S. ports, helps retain skilled crews, and supports American jobs.
Canastra Fishing Co.’s mission reflects that commitment.
“When family boats stay active, the whole port stays strong,” David says. “That stability doesn’t just help New Bedford—it helps every buyer who depends on a reliable American fleet.”
RELATED: Why fair commercial fishing wages matters for the US seafood supply
Dependability from U.S. waters to your shelves
Domestic seafood doesn’t eliminate every challenge in the supply chain. But for seafood that arrives consistently, it makes sense to start with the waters closest to home.
U.S. fleets work under strict rules. Their catch moves through far fewer hands and reaches buyers without crossing half the planet.
Consistency matters—for pricing, menu planning, institutional contracts, or public traceability—making proximity a competitive advantage.
Resilient seafood supply is built on American vessels. Choosing domestic seafood is an investment in reliability, transparency, and the long-term stability of the seafood programs that feed this country.
Canastra Fishing Co. delivers domestic-caught, domestic-processed seafood backed by the transparency and consistency buyers depend on—from restaurant groups to government programs.
Take control of your seafood supply today.
→ Explore our domestic product range
→ Learn how our fleet supports American communities
→ Connect with our sales team for sourcing and pricing
