Safely growing seafood in federal waters could help stabilize supply for consumers, drive job creation and meet the demand for sustainably sourced, nutritious protein.
showed that 70% of American seafood consumers are concerned about where their seafood comes from and nearly 90% of U.S. voters prioritize increasing regulations and setting high standards to ensure seafood is truly sustainable. Notably, this includes 92% of Democrats and 86% of Republicans. Leaders looking for bipartisan priorities need look no further than their next meal.
Part of the solution is to make more sustainable, homegrown aquaculture — the farming of seafood in U.S. waters — a reality. While some states permit seafood farming near shore, the U.S. needs comprehensive standards for farms more than three nautical miles offshore, in federal waters, to allow a sustainable industry to develop.
There are potential risks and unknown, unintended side effects of aquaculture that must be addressed. Equipment failures can lead to more pollution that endangers wildlife, and fish escapes could interfere with wild fisheries, upsetting delicate ecosystems that support existing livelihoods. Additionally, we must ensure that the food required for fish farms does not deplete other species critical to ocean health.
That’s why the SEAfood Act is so important. It would drive the studies necessary to ensure regulatory standards for aquaculture in offshore federal waters that limit the effects on marine ecosystems and protect coastal communities. It’s a thoughtful, necessary way to close knowledge gaps, set strong standards that inform future regulations and ensure that aquaculture in the U.S. grows within guidelines that are truly sustainable.
Congress has passed needed legislation like this before. When our wild fisheries were collapsing, the bipartisan
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