The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a federal agency, expects to publish a draft environmental impact statement this spring on offshore aquaculture in the Pacific Islands Region, which includes Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Marianas, says Civil Eats. It’s part of a process that could lead to government permits for fish farming in the region and, ultimately, larger domestic fish production.
At the moment, most aquaculture is located near to land and offshore aquaculture is in its early stages. “Offshore aquaculture requires more complicated and expensive construction but its boosters say it can play an increasingly important role in the world’s seafood supply,” says Civil Eats. Opponents such as Friends of the Earth says fish farms located in the ocean carry the risk of damage to wild fish stocks and sensitive marine environments, and they amount to “privatizing the ocean.”
No permits are required at present for offshore aquaculture in the Pacific Islands Region, aside from permits for some species of coral, says Civil Eats. “The Western Pacific Fisheries Management Council has guidelines for aquaculture in this region but NOAA’s proposal would allow aquaculture there to expand systematically — a shift that aims to increase seafood production for a hungry world, but which also has environmental groups concerned.”