Land-based IMTA aquaculture of purple sea urchin with sea cucumber and seaweed.

America currently imports over 90% of its seafood, leaving the nation vulnerable to international supply chain disruptions and economic volatility. This project directly supports USDA's strategic priority to strengthen national food security through secure and adaptive food production systems, as outlined in its Farm Security and National Security framework. It also advances the goals of the April 2025 White House Executive Order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, which calls for increasing domestic seafood output and investing in next-generation aquaculture infrastructure.Our team will design and test a land-based aquaculture system focused on farming sea urchins, one of the highest-margin seafood products in the world. By developing a small-scale pilot system with stacked raceways and integrated water management, we aim to prove that high-quality uni (sea urchin roe) can be reliably produced in controlled, land-based environments by American aquaculture farmers.The project will evaluate the biological and technical performance of this system, including growth rates, water quality, and feeding protocols. All design elements will prioritize cost efficiency, modularity, and domestic scalability, enabling the system to be replicated in industrial or warehouse settings near U.S. coastal communities.Expected results include a working prototype, performance data, and preliminary interest from seafood buyers and aquaculture partners. This work lays the foundation for expanded U.S. seafood production capacity--supporting farm security, economic resilience, and the USDA's mission to build a more sovereign and secure American food supply chain.