U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack on the Benefits of Offshore Aquaculture for Florida and States Nationwide

With re-introduction of bipartisan offshore aquaculture legislation in the U.S. House and Senate this past June, Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS) interviewed one of the sponsors of the Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture (AQUAA) Act: Representative Kat Cammack from Florida’s third congressional district.

In the interview, Rep. Cammack explains why she is helping to lead the charge on legislation to support the expansion of offshore aquaculture by establishing a clear regulatory system for the farming of fish in U.S. federal waters. She also discusses the opportunities that a sustainable robust aquaculture industry would provide to American communities, including food security and economic benefits.

Learn more about the AQUAA Act.

Why is federal legislation needed to support growth of an offshore aquaculture industry in the U.S.?
The growth of U.S. aquaculture is critical to American food security and nutrition and job creation, and ensures that seafood continues to be an important part of the global food supply. Yet, U.S. aquaculture is limited by the absence of an efficient and affordable permitting process, particularly in federal waters, which hinders growth of a domestic industry. The bipartisan “Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture Act” or the “AQUAA Act “is critical to responsible aquaculture development in federal waters through a stable and efficient regulatory process that is environmentally sound and sustainable.

Why is it critical to raise awareness of the need for legislation on offshore aquaculture among your colleagues in Congress?
Feeding our nation is bipartisan, and with as many thousands of miles of coastline as we have in the U.S., we should take advantage of opportunities aquaculture presents. In Florida, we have over 1,000 certified aquaculture operations and they provide millions to our local economies. The same can be said for dozens of coastal states across the country and I believe this is something we all have in common. Additionally, the economic impacts of onshoring this critical industry cannot be underestimated.

How would your state benefit from the expansion of aquaculture?
Florida is one of the national leaders for aquaculture and we currently rank first in the nation for ornamental fish production with freshwater and marine fish, coral, live rock, and aquarium plants. The expansion of aquaculture in the Sunshine State will allow us to build on this momentum and encourage more businesses to dive into this growing industry knowing how important their work is to our economy and food supply.

How would offshore aquaculture help support America’s food security goals in a sustainable manner?
The United States is only going to continue to grow in the coming years and unfortunately we don’t produce enough wild-caught products on our own. With the growth of aquaculture, we can safely, sustainably, and affordably provide food for a variety of American diets and lifestyles.