The United States’ seafood industry experienced major shifts in consumer demand and COVID-19 social-distancing restrictions starting in March 2020, when the early stages of the pandemic were unfolding. However, the specific effects on workers across seafood value chains are less well known. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC), fishers and seafood workers face an increased risk of workplace exposure to COVID-19 given the close proximity to others in processing facilities and on fishing vessels, long work hours, and communal housing, living, and transportation arrangements associated with seasonal employment. To explore this hypothesis, and given a lack of data on the sector, we reviewed news articles, scientific articles, and white papers to identify the various effects of COVID-19 on US seafood workers and to track COVID-19 cases and outbreaks. Here, we show that most COVID-19 cases among seafood workers were reported during the summer of 2020 and during the beginning of 2021 with outbreaks primarily occurring in seafood processing. COVID-19 cases were documented throughout coastal areas, with Alaska experiencing the largest number of cases and outbreaks. Based on news reports, seafood workers were about twice as likely to contract COVID-19 as workers in other parts of the overall US food system. By examining news articles and scientific literature, we also documented several indirect effects of the pandemic. Social-distancing restrictions limited crew size and number of workers on processing lines, resulting in longer work hours and more physical and mental taxation. Economic consequences of the pandemic were reportedly a primary concern for fishers and aquaculture businesses, including changes in markets, supply, and demand, in addition to revenue loss, price fluctuations, supply chain issues, and labor shortages. Fewer outlets interviewed workers in seafood processing; however, concerns about workplace safety, contracting COVID-19, access to medical services, vaccination, and paid sick leave were all noted. We also highlight several inequities in COVID-19 responses within the seafood sector, both along racial and gender lines. Peer-reviewed studies and news coverage all point to diverse direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on workers across seafood value chains. The summary of these effects can serve as a foundation for future work on infection control and occupational outreach to workers in the seafood sector.
