U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez today reaffirmed the Bush Administration's support for the aquaculture industry, a key growth sector for Hawaii and many other states, during a visit to aquaculture facilities at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority.
"A robust and healthy aquaculture industry is a focal point of President Bush's Ocean Action Plan," said Gutierrez. "The United States needs a strong commercial fishing industry and a robust aquaculture industry in order to meet projected seafood demand. We look forward to working with the new Congress to pass aquaculture legislation." Gutierrez added, "Over 70 percent of the seafood Americans consume annually is imported, and half of those imports come from foreign aquaculture operations. The U.S. annual seafood trade deficit is $8 billion." Currently, Hawaii is among the most active and receptive regions for marine aquaculture in the United States. The industry in Hawaii also holds great potential for short-term growth with $40 million annually in sales and the potential to grow to $200 million in annual sales in the next five to 10 years. Finfish, shrimp, and molluscan shellfish aquafarms are successful commercial enterprises in Hawaii, particularly on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii.
While in Kona, the Secretary toured several of the 17 commercial aquaculture businesses at the lab, including a shrimp and clam broodstock hatchery and one of two commercial open ocean fish farms in state waters in Hawaii. He also met with aquaculture business owners and researchers from Kona and Oahu who work with all types of aquaculture, including submerged cage systems, on-land closed recirculating systems, biopharmaceutical production, and initiatives to replenish wild fisheries stocks.
Of the six million tons of seafood consumed in the United States each year, 1.5 million tons is provided by domestic commercial fisheries and 500,000 tons is provided by domestic aquaculture, with a farm-gate value of $1 billion.
Background: Currently, the United States does not have a regulatory structure in place to allow aquaculture operations in federal marine waters. While other countries have continued to develop aquaculture, the United States has fallen behind--resulting in a swelling seafood trade deficit as Americans increasingly rely on the supply of imported, farmed seafood products to meet the domestic market demand.
In June of 2005, the Bush Administration sent legislation to the Congress to permit marine aquaculture facilities in the open ocean. The bill grants the Secretary of Commerce authority to issue permits for marine aquaculture operations in federal waters, which cover about 3.4 million square miles from three to 200 miles off the coasts of the United States. The legislation was supported by Senators Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Ted Stevens (R-AK), but did not pass before Congress adjourned. The Administration plans to reintroduce the legislation during the next Congress.
Aquaculture involves raising and harvesting aquatic species in a similar manner to agriculture with terrestrial species. Today, the primary production of commercial aquaculture in the United States is in freshwater species, such as catfish. Most commercial marine aquaculture in the United States is currently shellfish--including oysters, clams, and mussels, although potential exists for farming other marine species, such as finfish and aquatic plants. Offshore aquaculture is distinguished from other forms of marine aquaculture by the location in open ocean waters that are exposed to wind and waves, not sheltered in bays or coves closer to shore.
There are numerous advantages to offshore aquaculture. For example, the characteristics of offshore sites—including water depth, current flow and water quality—are attractive reasons to locate a facility offshore. Also, balancing multiple uses is a challenge closer to shore. Through public rulemaking, NOAA will establish criteria for aquaculture sites to avoid conflicts with shipping and other uses and to minimize impacts on the environment.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
