© Blue Ocean Mariculture
The news has been welcomed by Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS), a national seafood coalition. As Drue Banta Winters, campaign manager for SATS, commented in a press release: “After an extensive seven-year review process by regulators, the EPA has awarded a historic permit for Ocean Era’s Velella Epsilon demonstration project, which will allow a single net pen in open ocean waters off Florida’s coast. This is an important step forward in supporting growth of America’s aquaculture industry.”
Up to 85 percent of the seafood consumed by American families is imported into the USA, and half of that seafood is farm-raised, according to the coalition.
Winters adds: “Responsible farming in our oceans - which is how it will be done in the Gulf - can complement wild-capture harvesting and support our coastal economies to meet the growing demand for fresh, local seafood in America.
"Today’s modern aquaculture uses the latest science, research and technology, including AI technology, sophisticated computer modelling, underwater cameras and robotics, to raise fish in an environmentally sound manner. We can responsibly produce our own sustainable seafood, here in the US, without harming our oceans. ”
SATS believes that the USA should be encouraging more investment in domestic seafood, which is why it continues to advocate for legislation to establish a clear regulatory pathway for open ocean aquaculture.
As Winters concludes: “That is what is needed to ensure that businesses and investors have a path to get their farms into the waters. Growing our seafood in deep, offshore waters can provide significant benefits to the US economy and enhance our food security.”
