The aquaculture industry in New York spans the entire state. Land-based fish farms and aquaponic operations are primarily distributed across the upper region of the state while shellfish and seaweed operations are found in the marine waters around Long Island. Despite being one of the largest states in the Great Lakes and Northeast regions, with an extensive coastline, New York ranks 19th in aquaculture production according to the 2018 Census of Aquaculture. There is not a statewide aquaculture association that unifies or supports the industry, making it challenging for it to expand without additional support. In 2020, New York Sea Grant created the Aquaculture Specialist position to work with the industry and increase awareness about its value and benefits. An industry needs assessment was conducted in 2021which has guided the efforts of this position. It has led to developing workgroups with industry stakeholders, facilitating meetings with industry members to improve networking, and developing resources for the industry and the public to increase awareness about New York’s aquaculture industry.