Can Your Strategy Seize the Untapped Billions?

A central strategic interest resides in the ocean resources, since it carries high scientific and technological potential, alongside substantial seabed mineral and gas resources. The United States identifies a core national security and economic interest in maintaining leadership in these areas. The US nation confronts economic and national security concerns in obtaining reliable supplies of critical minerals without reliance on foreign control. Extensive offshore seabed areas contain precious minerals and energy resources. These resources are seen as fundamental for strengthening the US economy, securing the energy future, and lessening dependence on foreign suppliers for critical minerals.

The United States also oversees seabed mineral resources within one of the largest ocean areas globally. Through existing authorities and by fostering international associations, the US can access vast, untapped resources in seabed polymetallic nodules and other subsea geologic structures, and coastal deposits containing strategic minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, titanium, and rare earth elements. These minerals are considered essential for national security and economic prosperity. Immediate action is seen as necessary to accelerate the responsible progression of seabed mineral resources, quantify the nation’s endowment, reinvigorate American leadership in related extraction and cleaner processing technologies, and assure secure supply chains for defense, infrastructure, and energy sectors.

The policy of the United States includes advancing leadership in seabed mineral progression by rapidly developing domestic capabilities for exploration, characterization, collection, and processing of seabed mineral resources through streamlined permitting, without compromising environmental and transparency standards already in place. It also aims to support investment in deep sea science, mapping, and technology. Enhanced coordination among executive departments and agencies regarding seabed mineral progression activities is also a policy objective.

Establishing the United States as a global leader in responsible seabed mineral exploration, progression technologies, and practices is another aim, as is serving as a partner for countries progressing seabed mineral resources within their national jurisdictions, including their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). In fact, building a robust domestic supply chain for critical minerals from seabed resources is a stated goal that will support economic growth, reindustrialization, and military preparedness, including through new processing capabilities. Furthermore, reinforcing associations with allies and industry is intended to counter other nations' growing influence over seabed mineral resources and to position US companies to support allies and partners interested in responsibly progressing seabed minerals in areas within their national jurisdictions, including their EEZs.

Beyond mineral resources, the domain of seafood also highlights an impetus for market expansion and self-reliance. The United States administration has issued executive orders to elevate the competitiveness of American seafood. The 2025 Executive Order, "Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness" intensifies efforts to deregulate the seafood sector. This builds upon a 2020 order, "Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth". Both orders assert a goal to strengthen the lackluster U.S. seafood industry, with the 2025 declaration outlining more assertive alterations. This includes directing the Secretary of Commerce to address "overregulation" within 30 days by mandating suspension, revision, or rescission of "burdensome regulations" for wild capture fisheries, aquaculture, and processing. The administration claims success in streamlined regulations and supported maritime jobs. While aquaculture is perceived as the most regulated food sector in the US, the 2025 order mentions it only twice, a notable reduction from 47 times five years prior. Nonetheless, regulatory reviews will bear upon aquaculture.

The administration also made a proclamation in 2020 to open the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to fishing and in 2025, made another proclamation opening the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. This monument stands among the largest marine protected areas globally, first designated by a Republican President in 2009. The 2025 proclamation asserts that appropriately managed commercial fishing would not jeopardize the scientific and historic interests the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) protects. It states that fisheries in the region are effectively managed by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council.

The proclamation also notes that the prior prohibitions on commercial fishing caused American fishing fleets to lose access to nearly half of the US’ Exclusive Economic Zone in the Pacific Islands, moving them to fish further offshore in international waters against less regulated foreign fleets. The text states that the management of PRIMNM does little to safeguard fish populations from overfishing as ʻAhi (Tuna in Hawaiian) and other pelagic species within the PRIMNM are migratory and do not permanently reside there.

The approach to expanding seafood production often overlooks a fundamental aspect: the United States consumes around two-thirds imported seafood. The Executive Order places considerable emphasis on lessening the "seafood deficit". However, U.S. imports are mostly farmed seafood, which are generally not replaced by more expensive domestic wild-caught seafood. The species the US produces in volume, such as catfish and oysters, are not the species with the highest domestic demand, like salmon, shrimp, and tuna.

While policy changes can drive expansion in domestic aquaculture, providing greater federal monetary support for growth and diversification is essential. The administration initiated a baseline 10% tariff on all trading partners, with larger reciprocal tariffs on selected countries, including China, which rapidly escalated to 145%, which was then suspended for 90 days on the condition that exporting countries striked fair deals with the US. Now, China is a global leader in seafood production, consumption, and processing, and the primary seafood exporter (by volume) to the U.S. You have read this right. While some fishermen support these efforts to potentially make local products price competitive, the vast volume of shrimp (around 90%) is imported and currently cannot be met domestically, as the US does not farm large quantities of shrimp.

For organizations considering engagement in the Pacific, success hinges on an understanding of the region's heteroclite cultural and regulatory environments. This is where strategic associations means a lot. Supporting progression in seabed mineral resources within the national jurisdictions of partners and allies, including seeking scientific collaboration and commercial opportunities for United States companies, is a stated aim. Interaction with local communities and adherence to local governance structures are not simply ethical considerations but foundational elements of effective market entry and lasting collaboration. As global interest in the Pacific continues to increase, clarity in communication and cultural fluency will form the groundwork upon which successful ventures are established.