Consumer-focused strategies for improving market acceptance of domestic finfish aquaculture
Washington Sea Grant
$465,748
Project Summary: Although finfish aquaculture has advanced its methods and addressed many legitimate public concerns, throughout the US, and Washington State in particular, the current public perception of farmed finfish is largely negative. Such perceptions may impact the ability of this $1.3 billion-dollar domestic aquaculture industry to grow. This study will examine effective ways to communicate health benefits and environmental safety of domestic finfish aquaculture to the public by engaging University of Washington researchers, Washington Sea Grant, US aquaculture producers, seafood industry organizations, environmental NGOS, and professional marketing firms.
Ventura Shellfish Enterprise: Implementing an integrative model for new shellfish aquaculture permitting and production in federal waters proximate to Ventura, California
California Sea Grant
$311,036
Project Summary: The general objectives of this project proposal are to:(1) Develop a technically sound and defensible strategy to successfully obtain all required government entitlements necessary to establish twenty 100‐acre aquaculture permit sites in federal waters of the Santa Barbara Channel, proximate to Ventura Harbor; (2) Implement this strategy and obtain the necessary permits and entitlements, and complete associated environmental review documents; (3) Develop an effective monitoring and reporting program to monitor environmental impacts and evaluate project progress; (4) Collaborate with NOAA and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure future landed product has a pathway for compliance with the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) and Seafood Sanitation Inspection Program (SSIP) guidelines for shellfish grown in federal waters; (5) Offer economies of scale to individual grower/producers to facilitate the participation of entities who might otherwise be precluded because of the significant regulatory process and costs associated with obtaining the required government approvals; and,(6) Prepare grower/producers for successful farming of the growing areas through business planning, training, and technology transfer. Note: This project is supported by a joint effort of the National Sea Grant College Program and the NOAA Office of Aquaculture.