With increasing emphasis on bolstering U.S. aquaculture production, it is necessary to ensure that efforts build a stable foundation to support long-term industry sustainability. Because many user groups overlap in the aquaculture sector and coastal-ocean environments, it is important to deliberately connect and build capacity among users locally and nationally. The National Sea Grant College Program is established in partnership with land-grant universities in 34 coastal and Great Lake states and territories. Sea Grant (SG) Extension agents understand their states’ communities and relevant user groups’ priorities in various fields. To help groups achieve their priorities, SG Extension often engages in partnerships with federal agencies to facilitate engagement with end users about tools and resources. Throughout these interactions, SG Extension agents have developed a unique perspective on present relationships between Extension and federal partners as well as ideal engagement methods for future partnerships.
Since 2023, Maryland Sea Grant has hosted a series of five focus groups with regional Sea Grant Extension agents across the country, specifically targeting Aquaculture and Fishery specialists, but including all SG Extension. The four regions that convened virtually were: the West Coast, Alaska, Hawai’i, and the Northeast. One other focus group was held in person at the 2025 World Aquaculture meeting in New Orleans, and all Extension agents were invited, regardless of region. Each focus group met for approximately one hour and were asked the same series of questions. The questions were: In what capacity have/do you work with NOAA or other federal partners? What have your experiences been? How do you want to engage with NOAA and other federal partners moving forward? Participants’ discussions were recorded in transcripts and notes. These materials were analyzed and coded in NVivo software. All participants were de-identified to maintain anonymity.
After hosting five focus groups, we have identified preliminary themes from the perspectives of Sea Grant Extension surrounding current relationships and ideas for future engagement with federal partners. Participants felt that SG Extension agents and federal agencies are each situated with unique resources to tackle various issues. Participants emphasized that to maximize project potential, following models of co-collaboration, connections between SG Extension and federal partners should be established at a project’s inception and continue through its conclusion. Participants also noted the importance of being familiar with the federal tools and resources they are using in outreach to communities and being provided, by federal partners or co-created with SG Extension, robust training materials. These preliminary findings could be used as lessons learned and building blocks for future collaboration with community-oriented representatives, like SG Extension, and federal partners.