NOAA has announced its intent to develop a comprehensive national policy for sustainable marine aquaculture in the coming months, providing a framework for addressing aquaculture activity in federal waters.
The national policy also will provide context for the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Regulating Offshore Aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico, which took effect last week.
The national policy will build on NOAA’s work to safeguard US coastal and ocean environments, while enabling sustainable domestic aquaculture that adds to the US seafood supply and supports important commercial and recreational fisheries. The policy also will include development of coordinated federal standards for permitting aquaculture facilities in federal waters and strategies to provide the scientific information needed for permitting decisions.
A more robust sustainable aquaculture industry will increase the locally grown seafood supply and provide new economic opportunities for US coastal communities. Currently, 84% of the US seafood supply is imported, and about half of those imports are from aquaculture.
