NOAA Marine Fisheries

What NOAA Marine Fisheries does

NOAA Fisheries (formally the National Marine Fisheries Service, NMFS) is the U.S. federal agency responsible for the stewardship, management, and conservation of living marine resources within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. Established in 1976 under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and operating under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) within the U.S. Department of Commerce, the agency enforces 40+ federal statutes — primarily the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act — across more than 4 million square miles of ocean and 95,000 miles of coastline. It serves as the principal regulator of U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries, aquaculture, protected marine species, and international seafood trade, reaching roughly 2.1 million U.S. jobs and $319B in fisheries-related sales.

The agency's operational technology stack centers on the world's largest Vessel Monitoring System tracking 4,000+ commercial fishing vessels, supplemented by 60+ StationKeeper shore-based AIS transceivers for real-time vessel strike alerts (achieving 83% speed-compliance in the Cape Cod Bay pilot), MITRE-evaluated whale detection technologies across Technology Readiness Levels 2-9, and validated autonomous acoustic sensing platforms for IUU fishing detection. Its scientific capabilities include genetic stock identification (e.g., Pacific cod), large-scale DNA population analysis (e.g., 623-beluga 13-year study), environmental DNA monitoring, whole-genome sequencing for species identification, and a network of six science and engineering laboratories. The agency also implements the Seafood Inspection Program, issues aquaculture permits in designated Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (21,000+ acres across the Gulf of America and Southern California), and administers Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Provisions covering 135 nations and 2,500 foreign fisheries.

NOAA Fisheries is funded primarily through annual congressional appropriations — $1.12 billion for FY2026 — supplemented by approximately $1.2 billion in Inflation Restoration Act climate resilience funding, smaller grant programs (e.g., $4.6M Indian River Lagoon restoration, $3.8M Prescott marine mammal grants), and limited fee-based inspection services. The agency distributes its services through five regional offices, eight Regional Fishery Management Councils, and a cooperative enforcement program with state and territorial agencies. While not a commercial enterprise and not directly comparable to PE/VC portfolio companies, the agency's scale, statutory authority, and data assets make it a central node in the U.S. blue economy and a structural counterparty for any private-sector aquaculture, seafood trade, marine technology, or environmental services investment.

Name

NOAA Marine Fisheries

Legal name

NOAA Fisheries (National Marine Fisheries Service)

Website

https://fisheries.noaa.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

NOAA Fisheries is a U.S. federal agency that manages, conserves, and protects living marine resources across U.S. waters, enforcing 40+ laws and operating the world's largest Vessel Monitoring System for commercial fishing, recreational, aquaculture, and international seafood trading stakeholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Fisheries Management and Conservation

NAICS

Fishing, Hunting and Trapping (114), Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150)

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration (BPAIAAAO), Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI), Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

Keywords

• Marine fisheries management
• Fisheries science research
• Marine resource conservation
• Protected species management
• Aquaculture regulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Silver Spring

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Federal Appropriations: NOAA Fisheries receives annual congressional appropriations as a federal agency within the Department of Commerce. For fiscal year 2026, Congress funded the agency at $1.12 billion, rejecting the administration's proposed 31% budget cut.
2. Inflation Reduction Act Funding: NOAA Fisheries received approximately $1.2 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act to support climate resilience for America's marine resources, coastal communities, and fisheries, including specific allocations for climate-ready fisheries ($349M), habitat restoration ($484M), tribal fish hatcheries ($300M), North Atlantic right whale protection ($82M), and Pacific salmon conservation ($42M).
3. Habitat Restoration Grants: NOAA Fisheries' Office of Habitat Conservation funds restoration projects across habitats like the Indian River Lagoon, with $4.6 million invested generating over $106 million in expected ecosystem services over 10 years.
4. Seafood Industry Economic Contribution: The domestic seafood industry generates $183 billion in sales and supports 1.6 million jobs. NOAA's Seafood Strategy aims to enhance industry resilience against climate-driven challenges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

NOAA Fisheries is the U.S. federal agency responsible for the stewardship, management, and conservation of the nation's living marine resources within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. It conducts fisheries science, develops and enforces fishery management plans, protects endangered marine species and marine mammals, regulates commercial and recreational fishing through permits and quotas, and administers programs such as seafood inspection and sustainable aquaculture oversight.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) and Annual Catch Limits
• Seafood Inspection Program
• Commercial Fishing Permits and Federal Register Regulations
• Protected Species Conservation Program (ESA and MMPA)
• Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Compliance
• Stock Assessment and Fisheries Science Research
• Aquaculture Program
• Recreational Fishing Information and Regulations
• Office of Law Enforcement Investigative and Enforcement Services
• International Fisheries Management and RFMO Engagement

Quantifiable outcome

• 52 fish stocks rebuilt since 2000 under Magnuson-Stevens Act
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators30 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO): Canadian federal ministry that manages fisheries, aquaculture, and marine mammal protection across Canada's three coastlines. Closest functional peer to NOAA Fisheries - operates under similar mandate (Oceans Act, Fisheries Act), manages Atlantic/Pacific/Arctic stocks, and runs comparable science-center and habitat-restoration programs.
• UK Marine Management Organisation (MMO): UK arms-length body that licenses, regulates, and plans for sustainable use of English marine resources, including fisheries management and marine protected areas. Directly comparable in mandate (fisheries permitting, stock management, marine planning) to NOAA Fisheries, though smaller in geographic scope.
• European Commission DG MARE: European Commission's Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, which sets the Common Fisheries Policy, sets quotas, and manages EU fleet capacity. Direct functional peer to NOAA Fisheries in regulating commercial fisheries and enforcing multilateral stock agreements.
• Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA): Australian government agency that manages Commonwealth fisheries, including quota setting and compliance monitoring. Comparable to NOAA Fisheries in managing commercial fisheries, issuing permits, and operating vessel monitoring, though at smaller scale and within a single EEZ jurisdiction.
• Fisheries Agency of Japan: Japanese national authority that manages fisheries resources, including highly migratory species like Pacific bluefin tuna. Directly comparable in managing fish stocks, negotiating international quotas, and operating fisheries research fleets; one of NOAA Fisheries' principal counterparts in regional fisheries management organizations.
• New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries - Fisheries New Zealand: New Zealand's fisheries management directorate, operating one of the world's most privatized quota management systems. Comparable to NOAA Fisheries in managing sustainably certified fisheries, salmon and shellfish stocks, and marine mammal interactions.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS): Sister federal agency under the Department of the Interior that shares ESA implementation responsibilities with NOAA Fisheries. Co-administers endangered species listings, habitat restoration, and hatchery operations; serves as the policy peer for joint ESA actions and jointly proposes revisions to endangered species regulations.
• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): Global non-profit that sets the leading voluntary sustainability standard for wild-capture fisheries and seafood supply chains. Closely aligned with NOAA Fisheries' sustainable seafood mission - both certify/manage MSC-aligned species and certify U.S. fisheries, making MSC a key downstream partner in market access.

Regional players

• Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission: Interstate compact agency supporting West Coast state fisheries agencies (Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho). Acts as an intermediary implementing NOAA Fisheries programs at the regional level, including data collection and catch-share program administration - parallel to NOAA's cooperative enforcement model.

Others

• FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department: United Nations agency that provides global fisheries policy, data, and technical assistance to member states including the U.S. Not a regulator, but provides the international scientific assessments (e.g., on IUU fishing, bycatch, aquaculture) that shape NOAA Fisheries' regulatory frameworks and bilateral agreements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NOAAFisheries
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/usnoaafisheriesgov
• Facebookfacebook.com/NOAAFisheries
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/noaa-fisheries
• Instagraminstagram.com/noaafisheries

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NOAA Marine Fisheries