Saving Seafood

US bill encouraging offshore aquaculture draws opposition

October 28, 2023 — A bill introduced in the U.S. Congress designed to encourage offshore aquaculture has drawn opposition from a coalition of fishermen opposed to the practice.

The SEAfood Act would authorize NOAA to create an offshore aquaculture assessment program, establish a grant program for aquaculture centers of excellence, and order two reports on aquaculture regulations. Don’t Cage Our Oceans, a group opposed to offshore finfish farming, came out against the legislation this week, claiming offshore aquaculture allows “chemicals, diseases, and untreated waste to flow into the open ocean where it poses harms to wildlife, and fishing, and coastal communities.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

US lawmakers reintroduce SEAfood Act to spur offshore aquaculture

October 17, 2023 — U.S. lawmakers last week reintroduced the Science-based Equitable Aquaculture Food (SEAfood) Act, legislation designed to foster and encourage more offshore aquaculture development.

If passed, the legislation would authorize NOAA to establish an offshore aquaculture assessment program and a grant program that would help minority-serving educational institutions create aquaculture centers of excellence. The law would also require the Government Accountability Office, a congressional watchdog organization, to put together a report detailing regulatory requirements for offshore aquaculture, and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on the science behind offshore aquaculture regulations.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

US Congress considers SEAfood Act to advance offshore aquaculture in US waters

October 16, 2023 — The SEAfood Act is the only measure in Congress that lays the groundwork for an equitable and inclusive seafood economy of both farmed and wild-caught fish while prioritising data and science in the development of offshore aquaculture in the US. It will be a critical first step to help meet growing consumer demand for seafood and create jobs in vulnerable coastal communities in the future.

“We are grateful for the bipartisan leadership of Representatives Mace and Panetta to advance the growth of aquaculture in US federal waters,” said Andrew Zimmern, an award-winning chef and founding member of the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture (CSA). “It’s a responsible, science-based approach that’s good for the economy, for our domestic seafood industry, for our ocean and for American consumers.”

Eric Schwaab, senior vice president for people and nature at the Environmental Defense Fund, added: “The new and improved SEAfood Act will position the United States to become a global leader in sustainable offshore aquaculture. The bill would drive the in-depth, transparent studies and on-the-water research projects necessary to ensure offshore aquaculture is part of a healthy ocean strategy. By developing a sustainable aquaculture industry and supporting wild capture fisheries, we can protect marine ecosystems and coastal communities while building a local seafood economy that meets growing consumer demand.”

Read the full article at the Fish Site