Aquaculture Opportunity Areas bolster America-first seafood manufacturing

As a part of NOAA’s dedication to prioritizing American seafood competitiveness, the company has recognized 13 Aquaculture Opportunity Areas totaling greater than 21,000 acres in U.S. federal waters of the Gulf of America and off the coast of Southern California. These areas will strengthen the nation’s seafood business, scale back reliance on international imports, and create high-quality American jobs.

Today’s launch of two last programmatic environmental influence statements for the Gulf of America and Southern California identifies prime places which may be appropriate for growing a number of industrial aquaculture tasks, fulfilling President Trump’s 2020 Executive Order “Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth” and supporting the 2025 Executive Order “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness”. These orders champion a strong, America-first seafood business that places U.S. employees and shoppers first.

Each yr, Americans eat roughly $15 billion in seafood farmed and imported from international nations, the place labor and environmental requirements usually fall in need of America’s rigorous requirements. By increasing home aquaculture to enrich wild-harvest fisheries, NOAA is driving an America-first method that creates jobs, helps coastal communities and ensures  high-quality, homegrown seafood for American households.

“The U.S. leads the world in aquaculture science and technology, yet we rank 20th globally in marine aquaculture production,” stated Eugenio Piñeiro Soler, performing assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and environment and NOAA Fisheries assistant administrator. “By growing our domestic aquaculture industry, we will strengthen American health, create good-paying jobs and drive sustainable, long-term economic growth for our nation.”

The last paperwork launched right now are grounded in 19 scientific help merchandise and incorporate strong public enter, constructing on draft documents released last year. These efforts mirror NOAA’s dedication to transparency and American-driven decision-making.

In Southern California, NOAA consultants recognized 10 prime places for potential aquaculture growth — eight within the Santa Barbara Channel and two in Santa Monica Bay — starting from 500 to 2,000 acres, totaling 16,500 acres. NOAA discovered these areas could also be appropriate for seaweed, shellfish and finfish aquaculture.  

In the Gulf of America, three places off the coast of Texas have been recognized, every ranging in measurement from 500 to 2,000 acres, totaling 4,500 acres. NOAA discovered these areas could also be appropriate for seaweed, shellfish and finfish aquaculture. NOAA can also be investing in baseline environmental surveys within the Gulf to supply beneficial knowledge to potential farm candidates. 

The Aquaculture Opportunity Areas shall be finalized with two resolution paperwork following this announcement. The chosen areas are just the start of unlocking the huge potential for aquaculture in U.S. waters, paving the best way for extra jobs, thriving coastal economies and an elevated abundance of high-quality American-raised seafood on Americans’ plates.   

More information on the final PEISs for Southern California and the Gulf of America is available on the NOAA website.