A retiring U.S. congressman filed a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, 8 December calling for more research on offshore aquaculture to ensure the industry can be developed in a sustainable way.
U.S. Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-California), introduced the SEAfood Act, which would require the U.S. Government Accountability Office to produce a report within two years that encapsulates the lessons learned in aquaculture permitting since the GAO’s 2008 report. The calls out specific focuses of proposed research – including consultations and planning with aquaculture operators, tribal groups, and underserved communities, and a study of the net economic and social benefits of aquaculture projects.
The bill also calls on NOAA to create a program that will review fish farm designs to determine if they can operate in a fashion that protects marine environments and prevent interactions with native wildlife, even during times of severe weather. It also would have the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conduct a study to create “efficient and effective” permitting and regulation…