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Merits of proposed legislation on aquaculture to be debated
By AMY WOLD, Advocate staff writer
Opponents and proponents of a proposal that could eventually lead to large-scale aquaculture operations in the Gulf of Mexico will have an opportunity today to voice their concerns.
Sometimes referred to as “fish farms,” these operations do pretty much what the name suggests — cultivating fish in nets or pens in open water for commercial sale.
For at least the past five years, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has been working on drafting an amendment to fishery management plans that would set out the where’s and how’s of allowing aquaculture operations in the Gulf.
Aquaculture permits for federal waters can be granted only for a limited time, making it difficult to lure sizable investments into an aquaculture business.
In addition, proponents of the amendment say aquaculture is needed to reduce the United States’ dependence on imported seafood.
Although Congress is considering legislation that would set up rules for aquaculture in federal waters — which are 3 to 200 miles off shore — the council is continuing to move forward with its effort.
Environmental groups are concerned about the uncertainties that can come with aquaculture operations, such as the possibility of farm fish spreading diseases to wild populations and the effect of concentrating large numbers of fish — and their waste — in a small area.
Food and Water Watch, a nonprofit group opposed to the aquaculture amendment, disagrees that aquaculture will eliminate a “seafood trade deficit.” The group says the federal government hasn’t done enough to show that the practice is environmentally safe.
The group says the United States exports 70 percent of produced seafood to countries where the produce gets a better price. Meanwhile, suppliers in the United States buy seafood from the cheapest suppliers — “oftentimes in places with lower quality and health standards, such as China and Thailand,” according to a press release from the group.
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission is also on record opposing aquaculture operations in the Gulf of Mexico. In an April 3 resolution, the commission’s concerns include pollution from fish food and waste, and potential damage to wild fish through disease and genetic intermingling.
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will accept public testimony about the proposed amendment today from 1:20 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Assembly/Caucus room of The Embassy Suites Hotel in Baton Rouge.
During a joint committee meeting of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council on Wednesday in Baton Rouge, members went over specific changes to the proposal that will likely go to the full council for discussion at their next meeting in June, said Karen Foote, state Wildlife and Fisheries marine fisheries division administrator.
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, which is made up of state and federal representatives of the five gulf states, makes recommendations to the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on how to manage fish species.
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