The U.S. is the largest seafood market in the world. However, the U.S. remains a minor player in global aquaculture with either slower or declining growth trends in recent years. This decline has occurred despite seemingly abundant land, water, capital, and research infrastructure in the U.S. Broader macro and microeconomic factors such as stiffer competition from cheaper imports, rising input costs, and complex regulatory environments have contributed to this decline (Engle and Stone 2013; Knapp and Rubino 2016; Abate et al. 2016; van Senten et al. 2018). The situation is exacerbated by a lack of information on aquaculture investments, market uncertainty, and relatively lower levels of profitability (Engle et al. 2020). Promotion of U.S. marine and Great Lakes aquaculture industries warrants information regarding profitability and investment feasibility. Well-established pond-based sectors and marine shellfish sectors struggle to attract capital while emerging species and production technologies such as recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) have attracted capital but have experienced high rates of failure. This economic paradox is primarily driven by a lack of fundamentally sound information about profitability and investment feasibilities. This project envisions to address the critical lack of economic information related to cost of production, relative profitability, economic contribution, seasonal and regional market trends, and economic risk associated with U.S. marine and Great Lakes aquaculture industries. A new project seeks to promote a greater understanding of economic and market issues of geographically diverse U.S. aquaculture sectors with special emphasis on mariculture and Great Lakes aquaculture industries. Aquaculture sectors such as mollusks (oysters, mussels, and clams), salmonids, crustaceans, recreational and ornamental fish, centrarchids, and other major offshore/inland aquaculture industries will be the focus of the research. The group of 12 Economists and Sea Grant/1862 Land Grant Extension specialists from eight diverse institutions, will work together in the creation of a National Hub envisioning the advancement and sustainable management of U.S. aquaculture sectors alongside cultivating the next generation of experts in aquaculture economics and marketing through training and experiential learning opportunities.