Aquaculture Benefits America’s Coastal and Agricultural Communities

By Bill DiMento, Vice President of Corporate Sustainability and Government Affairs at High Liner Foods and President of Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS)

On May 7, 2020, President Trump signed an Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth, which includes support for the expansion of regulated domestic offshore aquaculture, a safe and resource-efficient process for cultivating farm-raised fish in our oceans. The Executive Order is an important step forward. Now, federal legislation is needed for the U.S. to fully benefit from the potential of American aquaculture.

Aquaculture is an emerging industry with tremendous growth potential and anticipated economic and environmental benefits. With a far lower environmental impact than any terrestrial means of protein production, aquaculture is one of the most efficient methods of producing animal protein. Aquaculture will complement wild fish harvesting to increase our supply of sustainable seafood produced and feed the world’s growing population in an environmentally friendly way.

 In addition to increasing our supply of healthful and sustainable American-raised seafood, growth of domestic aquaculture is an opportunity to revitalize America’s seafood industry which has been hurt deeply by the effects of COVID-19. There are also economic opportunities for rural America, which has also been severely impacted by the pandemic. Increased aquaculture production will lead to increased demand for American-grown crops, which can be used in plant-based fish feed, such as soybeans, corn and peas. This would create new job opportunities for America’s terrestrial farmers, not to mention new domestic markets which are particularly important as we face increased uncertainty with U.S. trading partners.

 The Executive Order lays the foundation for the expansion of offshore aquaculture by outlining a process for developing Aquaculture Opportunity Areas suitable for commercial aquaculture in federal waters, taking into consideration input from all stakeholders and relevant agencies. What is needed next is for Congress to pass legislation that authorizes a clear permitting process for aquaculture operations.

The lack of a predictable, affordable and efficient permitting process at home has led to U.S. companies investing their aquaculture operations in other countries – bringing the jobs and economic opportunities along with them, not to mention venture capital managers that are chomping at the bit to invest locally! A clear permitting process, established through federal legislation, will address these concerns and increase aquaculture developments here in the United States.

The President’s Executive Order and bipartisan legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year shows there is building momentum for investing in the American aquaculture industry. With growing bipartisan support and the need for immediate economic stimulus in the wake of the pandemic, Congress should move quickly to pass legislation that supports the growth of America’s aquaculture industry and helps get Americans back to work.