Offshore Aquaculture Pacific Marine Conservation Council (PMCC) advocates for ecosystem-based management that fosters sustainable fishing communities. The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy was clear in stating, “ U.S. ocean and coastal resources should be managed to reflect the relationships among all ecosystem components, including humans and non-human species and the environments in which they live.” We agree. As PMCC considers important and controversial issues, we think in terms of benefiting the marine environment and the people and livelihoods connected to the sea. In this spirit, we offer the following position statement regarding offshore aquaculture. Legislation and regulations should ensure that industrial farming of any marine species does not harm ecosystem integrity, existing wild fisheries or coastal communities. Congress should impose a moratorium on aquaculture in the EEZ unless and until a comprehensive legislative and regulatory regime is in place, which requires that aquaculture developers demonstrate the safety and efficacy of their technologies and techniques to address environmental threats before any permits are issued. No offshore aquaculture projects or proposals that have the potential to threaten the economic and social well-being of coastal communities should be allowed. Coastal States shall have the ability to refuse to allow open ocean aquaculture in federal waters in the EEZ beyond state waters. When proposing activities in the EEZ, the federal government should be required to forecast, identify and mitigate potential consequences to adjacent state waters, fisheries or coastal communities. The National Aquaculture Act of 1980 should be amended to establish citizen suit provisions comparable to other national environmental statutes such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. In addition to civil penalties for non-compliance with permit conditions, the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 should be amended to provide a schedule of criminal penalties for knowing violations of permit conditions, similar to those provided by the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. Congress should prohibit the issuance of any license to permit an aquaculture facility that imports, exports, possesses, cultivates, sells or otherwise handles genetically modified fish in the exclusive economic zone or has access to open waters.
PMCC P.O. Box 59, Astoria, Oregon 97103 (503) 325-8188 Fax: (503) 325-9681 Email: info@pmcc.org

Offshore Aquaculture

Pacific Marine Conservation Council (PMCC) advocates for ecosystem-based management that fosters sustainable fishing communities. The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy was clear in stating, “ U.S. ocean and coastal resources should be managed to reflect the relationships among all ecosystem components, including humans and non-human species and the environments in which they live.” We agree.

As PMCC considers important and controversial issues, we think in terms of benefiting the marine environment and the people and livelihoods connected to the sea. In this spirit, we offer the following position statement regarding offshore aquaculture.

Legislation and regulations should ensure that industrial farming of any marine species does not harm ecosystem integrity, existing wild fisheries or coastal communities.

Congress should impose a moratorium on aquaculture in the EEZ unless and until a comprehensive legislative and regulatory regime is in place, which requires that aquaculture developers demonstrate the safety and efficacy of their technologies and techniques to address environmental threats before any permits are issued.

No offshore aquaculture projects or proposals that have the potential to threaten the economic and social well-being of coastal communities should be allowed.

Coastal States shall have the ability to refuse to allow open ocean aquaculture in federal waters in the EEZ beyond state waters. When proposing activities in the EEZ, the federal government should be required to forecast, identify and mitigate potential consequences to adjacent state waters, fisheries or coastal communities.

The National Aquaculture Act of 1980 should be amended to establish citizen suit provisions comparable to other national environmental statutes such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.

In addition to civil penalties for non-compliance with permit conditions, the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 should be amended to provide a schedule of criminal penalties for knowing violations of permit conditions, similar to those provided by the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.

Congress should prohibit the issuance of any license to permit an aquaculture facility that imports, exports, possesses, cultivates, sells or otherwise handles genetically modified fish in the exclusive economic zone or has access to open waters.

Offshore Aquaculture

PMCC P.O. Box 59, Astoria, Oregon 97103 (503) 325-8188 Fax: (503) 325-9681 Email: info@pmcc.org

PMCC P.O. Box 59, Astoria, Oregon 97103
(503) 325-8188 Fax: (503) 325-9681 Email: info@pmcc.org