Our Vision:
"An informed society that has confidence in the seafood that they purchase, sell and consume today and in the future."

Our Mission:
To ensure the safety and quality as well as enhance the marketability and sustainability of seafood products for the benefit of the American consumer by providing science based inspection services to the seafood industry.


 
  

 
Protection Through Inspection

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) oversees fisheries management in the United States, and through the 1946 Agricultural Marketing Act, provides a voluntary inspection service to the industry. The NOAA Seafood Inspection Program offers a variety of professional inspection services which assure compliance with all applicable food regulations. In addition, product quality evaluation, grading and certification services on a product lot basis are also provided. Benefits include the ability to apply official marks, such as the U.S. Grade A, Processed Under Federal Inspection (PUFI) and Lot Inspection.

The services provided by NOAA include the following:
  • Establishment Sanitation Inspection
  • Process and Product Inspection
  • Product Grading
  • Product Lot Inspection
  • Laboratory Analyses
  • Training
  • Consultation

These services can be provided nationwide, in U.S. territories, and in foreign countries. All types of establishments such as vessels, processing plants, and retail facilities may receive these services. All edible product forms ranging from whole fish to formulated products, as well as fish meal products used for animal foods, are eligible for inspection and certification. The official government forms and certificates issued by USDC inspectors are legal documents recognized in any U.S. court.

 
   
U.S. Department of Commerce/NOAA Fisheries • 1315 East West Highway • Silver Spring, MD 20910 • Phone (301) 713-2355 • Toll Free (800) 422-2750