Download Open Ocean Aquaculture

Can the oceans keep up with the
Hunt???
Copyright 2007 Habitat Media
Open Ocean Aquaculture
OPEN OCEAN
AQUACULTURE
Laura Thurman
Josh Tobias
Will Pitt
BY
LAURA THURMAN
JOSH TOBIAS
AND NONE OTHER
THAN
WILL PITT
Our Stance
It is clear that open ocean aquaculture can be
an effective option to reduce the nation's
dependence on seafood imports, provide jobs
for economically depressed coastal communities,
and meet the growing consumer demand for
safe, healthy seafood.
What is Open Ocean
Aquaculture?
•
Open Ocean Aquaculture is broadly defined as the rearing of
marine organisms under controlled conditions in exposed, highenergy ocean environments beyond significant coastal influence.
• Activities are located at a considerable distance from shore and are
open to the natural ocean elements from all sides.
Facilities consist of systems (e.g., cages, net-pens, longline
arrays) that can be free-floating, secured to a structure,
moored to the ocean bottom, or towed by a vessel.
Cage mounted autonomous feeding systems have been developed that can
operate both at the surface and submerged.
• ABC Special on Open Ocean Aquaculture
MAJOR CHALLENGES
to open ocean aquaculture development
• Choosing appropriate species and culture
techniques
– The following must be identified
• Species selection
• Egg/larval production
• Nutritional/dietary requirements
species and culture techniques
• Halibut, haddock, cod, flounder, blue mussels, mutton, snapper, cobia,
yellowtail snapper, amberjack, corvina, mahimahi, red drum, tuna, striped
bass, and other species.
• Other research topics being investigated:
– Hatchery culture technologies; designs for automated feeders; culture of new
species; identification and control of diseases; development of cages and
husbandry technology through rough waters; alternative food sources; nutrition
requirements; development of environmental monitoring technology etc…
MAJOR CHALLENGES
to open ocean aquaculture development
• Obtaining sufficient start-up capital
investment
• New and developmental technology, the risk of uncertainty associated with
•
•
operating in exposed open ocean locations, lack of operational experience,
and high capital start up costs make estimating profitablity and securing
financing difficult for new OOA companies.
High maintenance costs b/c of offshore location
Proponents say that without some form of long-term leasing of water
surface, water column, and seabed, OOA will have significant problems in
securing capital from traditional funding sources, insurance,
(refer to National Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2007)
– For development to occur one must accept that open ocean aquaculture is “big
science” along the lines of atomic/nuclear physics research

• Seeking and promoting partnerships with other industries
MAJOR CHALLENGES
to open ocean aquaculture development
• Remaining competitive in an international
market
• Dependable air freight has allowed aquaculture
operations to market globally
• 81% of the seafood consumed in America is imported.
• 40% of those imports are farmed.
• Can the U.S OOA operations produce their product at prices
•
competitive with foreign aquaculture?
U.S. marine aquaculture is a mere 1.5% of U.S. seafood supply.
MAJOR CHALLENGES
to open ocean aquaculture development
• Designing and constructing facilities able
to withstand the open ocean marine
environment
– Systems have been developed to withstand unpredictable
wave conditions such as cages that do not deform under
current and wave loads, submersible cages, and single –
point moorings.
MAJOR CHALLENGES
to open ocean aquaculture development
• Evaluating social and economic impacts
– Little evidence provided of economic benefits
– Could hurt the local fisherman
– Alaska
– Could lower prices
MAJOR CHALLENGES
to open ocean aquaculture development
• Addressing potential environmental
impacts
• Similar but fewer problems than that of nearshore
• Depends on technique, location, size/scale, species
Can the Oceans keep up with the
Hunt? 2of3
Why why why why whY???
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA), an agency within the U.S. Department of
Commerce, is working to enhance/increase domestic
seafood supply to meet the growing demand for all
seafood products. Currently, over 80% of the seafood
Americans consume is imported, and at least half of
those imports are farmed seafood. Additional U.S.
aquaculture can help the nation reduce its $8 billion
seafood trade deficit, provide additional jobs and
revenue for coastal communities, and meet the growing
consumer demand for safe, healthy seafood.
Why why why why whY???
• Right now, most U.S. marine aquaculture products come
from shellfish, which are grown onshore or in coastal
areas. However, new technology and equipment, and the
promising results of open ocean aquaculture
demonstration projects in state waters, are leading to
opportunities for seafood farming further from the coast,
in federal waters three to 200 miles off shore. The
federal waters of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone cover
3.4 million square miles of ocean and hold promise for
this new type of aquaculture.
Highlighted in blue in the map above, the
U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone ~ also
known as federal waters ~ covers 3.4
million square miles of ocean. [U.S.
Commission on Ocean Policy map]
Why why why why whY???
• While there are many potential benefits to offshore
aquaculture, there are also barriers blocking the
expansion of aquaculture into federal waters. Currently,
there is no clear authority for the permitting of offshore
aquaculture in federal waters. To address this challenge,
the Administration will propose the National Offshore
Aquaculture Act of 2007 early in the 110th Congress. If
enacted, the Act will establish the legal framework
regarding permits, enforcement, and monitoring of
aquaculture in federal waters.
The National Offshore Aquaculture Act
of 2007
• Specifically, the bill will:
– • Authorize the Secretary of Commerce to issue offshore
aquaculture permits.
– • Require the Secretary of Commerce to establish environmental
requirements.
– • Require the Secretary of Commerce to work with other federal
agencies to develop and implement a streamlined and
coordinated permitting process for offshore aquaculture.
– • Exempt permitted offshore aquaculture from fishing
regulations that restrict size, season and harvest methods.
– • Authorize the establishment of a research and development
program for marine aquaculture.
– • Authorize funding to carry out the Act and provide for
enforcement of the Act.
The National Offshore Aquaculture
Act of 2007
• The 2007 proposal includes requirements to ensure that offshore
aquaculture proceeds in an environmentally responsible manner that
is consistent with stated policy to protect wild stocks and the quality
of marine ecosystems and is compatible with other uses of the
marine environment.
• the proposal will provide the necessary regulatory certainty to
facilitate expansion of aquaculture in federal waters, where there is
significant potential for development of the U.S. aquaculture
industry.
RESPONSIBLE AQUACULTURE
• the most immediate challenge is to establish clear rules
to allow this type of aquaculture and, ultimately, allow
the nation to take advantage of this new opportunity for
seafood production in federal waters. At the same time,
the federal government must ensure that human health,
the marine environment, and wild stocks are protected.
THANK YOU FOR YOU TIME
Based on demand and population growth
projections in the United States, the projected
domestic seafood gap in 2025 is 2-4 million tons