Aquaculture: An Essential Industry for American Communities
As Congress debates ways to address the many pressing challenges we face, including economic recovery, food security and environmental challenges, increasing American aquaculture should be one of the solutions. That is why Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS) is calling on Congress to clarify a regulatory pathway for permitting offshore aquaculture, an essential industry that would help solve some of the critical problems we face.
Through the launch of a new campaign, SATS will demonstrate how a robust domestic aquaculture industry would provide many benefits and opportunities for American communities, including supporting the economy and creating new jobs, revitalizing coastal infrastructure, and ensuring our nation’s food security by increasing our production of sustainable seafood with minimal impact on the environment.
Offshore aquaculture is constrained by complex and inconsistent regulations, which hinder its growth. American aquaculture currently meets only 5-7 percent of seafood demand. Instead of farming more locally grown seafood, the U.S. imports 90 percent of its seafood. By establishing a clear regulatory pathway for permitting sustainable offshore aquaculture, federal lawmakers can increase domestic seafood production and reignite a vibrant American seafood future that benefits the American economy, industries, and communities nationwide.
