When we head to beach we think of sun, sand and fun. At the end of the day many of us like to enjoy fresh, local seafood. Even if you are not on the coast, seafood is becoming a number one treat for going out to eat. The good news is safe seafood does a body good. Seafood supplies protein, nutrients, and essential omega-3 fatty acids; protects against cardio-vascular disease; and benefits brain development. And seafood is good for the economy. U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries generate about 80 billion dollars a year. Aquaculture, which is the farming of fresh and saltwater organisms, is also rising to meet the increased demand for seafood. It is therefore a national priority to maintain a sustainable and contaminant and disease-free seafood supply and to educate the public about how impacts to the ocean environment might affect human health. Marine scientists are working hard to ensure that this is the case. Scientists at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources are researching new ways to improve aquaculture practices by producing disease and contaminant-free products, with the added benefit of not relying on populations of wild fish for animal feed. In the Gulf of Mexico, NOAA researchers are developing an early warning system to predict when disease might hit oyster and shellfish beds in order to close them ahead of time to protect the public from possible exposure. And scientists at the West Coast Center for Oceans and Human Health are teasing apart the genetic make-up of bacteria that may attack seafood in order to develop new, safe ways to eliminate any potential threat. These efforts across NOAA, other federal agencies, and their partners will continue to support a safe, healthy, and secure seafood supply for all of us to enjoy.