It says that hundreds of commercial and recreational fisher men and women, concerned citizens, and others from the region are expected to voice their concerns about the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Generic Offshore Aquaculture Amendment at hearings in Houston, Texas; St Petersburg, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; Biloxi, Mississippi and Mobile, Alabama.

The public hearings are said to be a result of immense public pressure at the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting on October 31 in Biloxi, Mississippi where many people pushed for more public input on the Council's plan to allow open water aquaculture in the Gulf - growing fish in nets or cages between three and 200 miles from shore.

"The Gulf Council has fast-tracked their plan since January, and has not fully considered the impacts on the entire Gulf region," said Wenonah Hauter, the executive director of Food & Water Watch. "These hearings will allow citizens in the Gulf to participate in the decision process, and determine what the council's plan means to their region and their future."

According to a Food & Water Watch analysis, "Offshore Aquaculture: Bad News for the Gulf", open offshore aquaculture could threaten the half a billion dollar a year commercial fishing industries and the more than five billion dollars of annual economic activity connected to recreational fishing in the region.

"This week we have a chance to speak out against a plan that disregards its impact on local industry," said Margaret Curole, of Commercial Fishermen of America. "We cannot afford to support an industry that threatens our community, our economy, and our livelihoods."

www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish FISHupdate magazine, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

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