Expanding aquaculture in the United States can help meet the increasing demand for seafood alongside traditional fisheries while minimizing environmental impact. Currently, over 85% of seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported, much of it from foreign aquaculture, highlighting a missed opportunity for local growth. By fostering domestic marine aquaculture, the U.S. can reduce its $24.2 billion seafood trade deficit and create opportunities for economic growth. In 2021, a special issue of the Journal of the World Aquaculture Society presented review articles that provided an in-depth look at marine fish candidate species and developed a roadmap to help researchers, industry members, funding agencies, investors, and other stakeholders prioritize commercialization opportunities. The contributing authors assessed the scientific, technological, and commercial readiness of these candidate species. Since then, NOAA Fisheries has led an initiative to strategically identify top marine finfish species for commercial aquaculture development in the U.S., narrowing a list of 21 species to three to five priority species, which will become focal points for the NOAA Aquaculture Program. Through collaboration with USDA, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, and partners in academia and industry, NOAA has evaluated species based on technology readiness, agency capabilities, knowledge gaps, and economic potential. Species currently under consideration include (alphabetical): Almaco Jack (Seriola rivoliana), Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata), California Yellowtail (Seriola dorsalis), Cobia (Rachycentron canadum), Florida Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus), Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), Sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis), and Tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis). This presentation will highlight NOAA’s species prioritization initiative, which aims to establish a foundation for sustainable marine finfish aquaculture in the U.S., addressing both short- and long-term goals for industry growth and sustainability.