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Offshore Aquaculture
Aquaculture production has grown at an average annual rate
of 8.8% globally since 1970 and now accounts for one-third of world fisheries
production annually. The United States ranked 10th in aquaculture production
in 2004 at about 500,000 metric tons. Up
to now, the major growth in U.S.
aquaculture has occurred in freshwater production. With the introduction of the
NOAA-sponsored National Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2007 (S. 1609), however,
Congress upped the ante by proposing a first-ever regulatory framework for the
use of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone's waters for aquaculture. Enabling legislation to open
federal waters to aquaculture could pave the way for rapid expansion of marine
aquaculture projects in the coming years.
[1] FAO. State of World Aquaculture 2006, p. 125.
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Programs & Projects 
