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Neil Sims |
OPEN ocean aquaculture is both an "economic opportunity and a moral obligation", according to a new trade organisation.
A diverse group of Ocean Stewards Institute members, representing the emerging open ocean aquaculture industry, convened at the National Marine Aquaculture Summit in Washington, DC recently to show support for the NOAA Offshore Aquaculture bill, which is currently before Congress.
The group included representatives of grain growers, feed companies, investors, the insurance industry, fish cage manufacturers, open ocean farmers, and alternate protein and oil researchers and suppliers, as well as seafood restaurateurs, retailers and consumers.
Both in sessions at the summit and in subsequent meetings with environmental groups and legislators, the trade association said it was able to emphasise the environmental and economic imperative for the development of US aquaculture in the open ocean.
While supporting the NOAA initiative with the current Offshore Aquaculture Bill, the Ocean Stewards Institute advocated for clearer definition in the legislation of higher environmental standards for open ocean aquaculture. It also pressed for more opportunity for public input in drafting regulations and the permitting process. It said an economic incentive package is also crucial for jump-starting the industry in the US. The group advocated for such a package, as well as calling for increased funding for research and development to maintain US leadership in the technology for these open ocean systems.
In response to concerns raised about the impact that the expansion of open ocean aquaculture would have on water quality, the seabed and wild fish, Neil Anthony Sims, founding board member of the Ocean Stewards Institute, presented a case study of Kona Blue Water Farms, the first integrated hatchery and open ocean fish farm in the US.
“We’ve been raising sashimi-grade Kona Kampachi® in Hawaiian state waters for two years, and have gathered substantial data that show no significant environmental impact,” said Sims, who is President and co-founder of Kona Blue. “Hawaii state legislation provides a useful model for federal legislation, with ample opportunity for public input, and rigorous environmental monitoring requirements.”
Currently, several states have legislation allowing open ocean aquaculture in state waters, including Hawaii, Washington, California and Maine. The organisation believes that moving fish farms to deeper water offshore, within federal jurisdiction, will further mitigate any potential environmental impact.
“The US must lead in this emerging industry, or we will be forever reliant on seafood imported from overseas, where there may be looser environmental standards and less rigorous food safety standards. This is both an economic opportunity, and a moral obligation,” said Sims.
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