Sec. 2. Findings

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Congress makes the following findings: The public health benefits of eating seafood for brain health, heart health, mental health, and overall wellness are well researched and established. Prominent organizations have consistently recommended eating at least 2 servings of seafood per week, including— the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 2010, 2015, and 2020; the Food and Drug Administration since 2004; and the American Heart Association.

Only 1 in 5 people in the United States follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to eat at least 2 servings of seafood per week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Eating seafood at least twice per week can reduce the risk of dying from heart disease by 36 percent. More than 877,500 people in the United States die of heart disease or stroke each year, and the economic toll is approximately $363,000,000,000 in healthcare costs and lost productivity.

Close to 55,000 deaths per year are associated with insufficient seafood consumption in the United States. Pregnant people in the United States eat on average 1.8 ounces of seafood per week compared to the dietary recommendation of 8 to 12 ounces of seafood per week. Strong medical evidence shows that nutrients specific to seafood reduce the risk of preterm birth by more than 40 percent. In the United States, 1 in 10 infants are born prematurely, which can negatively impact brain development, vision, and hearing.

Public education campaigns have effectively communicated the health and nutritional benefits of other dietary recommendations. A previous effort to promote the public health benefits of eating seafood was conducted by the National Fish and Seafood Promotional Council, which was Federally funded from 1987 to 1991. The Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published a report in July 2020 recommending establishing a National Seafood Council to elevate the narrative of the nutritional value of seafood, which the report states could directly improve the health of the people of the United States.

Increasing the awareness and perception of edible invasive non-native species of seafood can help control aquatic invasive species populations and sustain native stocks.