This would provide jobs, generate revenues and help reduce the country's $15 billion seafood trade deficit.
The National Seafood Strategy outlines the agency’s plans for supporting a thriving domestic US seafood economy, including through increased sustainable US aquaculture, to enhance the resilience of the seafood sector in the face of climate change and other challenges.
“SATS applauds NOAA’s commitment to increase US aquaculture production as part of a wider strategy to support the US seafood industry as it faces pressing challenges,” said Drue Banta Winters, campaign manager of SATS, in a press release.
“The growth of domestic aquaculture is an important part of a holistic approach to diversify our food strategy. We support the agency’s strategy on developing an efficient, predictable, timely and science-based regulatory framework for offshore aquaculture, which the US currently lacks, to establish a thriving industry that can compete globally.”
Until there is a regulatory pathway in place for offshore aquaculture, the American aquaculture industry will continue to be hindered. SATS advocates for federal legislation to establish a clear permitting process for US marine aquaculture. The Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture (AQUAA) Act would – SATS argues – provide regulatory certainty for US marine farmers, which would encourage investment and help increase the supply of affordable and sustainable domestic seafood.
