http://search.epa.gov/s97is.vts http://www.epa.gov/owowwtr1/oceans/yoto/oceanrpt/aquacult.

html Aquaculture Promote the development of environmentally safe and sustainable aquaculture to meet the growing national and global needs for protein from seafood and to relieve pressure on wild fish stocks. E xpected increases in world population are projected to intensify the global demand for edible seafood. The aquaculture industry, which propagates and rears aquatic plants and animals, can provide consumers with high-quality, safe, and affordable seafood and other important fish products, and thereby reduce pressure on wild stocks and help their recovery. The global aquaculture industry, whose production is valued at nearly $1 billion in the U.S. and $40 billion worldwide, currently supplies less than 10% of the nations seafood demands. Improving U.S. aquaculture production can simultaneously provide more seafood to domestic markets and help offset the U.S. trade deficit in edible seafood products, which has increased by 139% since 1992 and now stands at $6 billion annually the largest for any agricultural commodity. Aquaculture can also make major contributions to U.S. local, regional, and national economies by creating business opportunities both here and abroad and by providing employment in a new and diverse industry. The U.S. has the opportunity to lead the world in developing sustainable aquaculture technologies based on renewable resources and advancing international guidelines for the industry, which provides 25% of the worlds fish supplies. However, the continued growth of aquaculture in land-based systems and coastal environments and any expansion of aquaculture into the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone must be conducted in an environmentally sound manner. Although coastal environments are primarily under state control, the federal government can play a significant role in assisting tribal and state aquaculture efforts through research and the regulatory process. Ongoing Concerns U.S. aquaculture development is restricted by a lack of species ready for commercial culture, sophisticated engineering requirements, sparse information on diseases and ways to treat them, and marketing and distribution concerns. Concern exists about the potential environmental impacts of some aquaculture operations, especially genetic and disease consequences for wild stocks, introduction of nonindigenous species, coastal habitat alteration, effluent effects on habitat, and interactions with marine mammals and endangered species. No comprehensive regulatory framework exists for permitting aquaculture operations. Although aquaculture has proven to be a valuable tool to increase salmon populations, its effectiveness remains unknown for other fish and shellfish stocks. Recommendations Support research and develop pilot projects for hatchery and nursery development, closed-system production techniques, processing, and marketing. Work with stakeholders to develop guidelines for environmentally sound and sustainable aquaculture by the end of the year 2000, and promote domestic and international compliance with them. Work with stakeholders to create an integrated regulatory framework for coastal or inland aquaculture. Develop a comprehensive federal permitting and certification process for the openocean aquaculture industry in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, consistent with the U.S. policy on non-indigenous species.

Integrate aquaculture development with wild stock management and environmental stewardship. Evaluate wild stock enhancement through aquaculture as a method to accelerate recovery of depleted stocks, and implement stock enhancement programs where practicable. Through the Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture, improve coordination of U.S. government aquaculture research and assistance to tribal, state, and local governments, and industry. For More Information http://swr.ucsd.edu/fmd/bill/aquapol.htm http://www.susdev.noaa.gov/aqucult.html http://www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/fishery/ Aquaculture research continues to pay off. As a result of Sea Grant research, a small, local soft-shell crab industry has grown to a multi-million dollar investment extending from New Jersey to Florida. Working with the fishing industry, researchers, students, and others, aquaculture specialists have provided seed oysters and expertise to rebuild oyster bars in the Chesapeake Bay. And in New England, many community partnerships are underway to develop small-scale, low-impact economic opportunities in shellfish aquaculture for local fishermen using new information and technologies. http://www.nsgo.seagrant.org/research/aquaculture/index.html BACK | TOC | NEXT

New Report from the Environmental Defense Fund on Environmental Effects of Aquaculture
"Murky Waters: the Environmental effects of aquaculture in the United States" is the title of a report released by the Environmental Defense Fund which suggests that most large US fish farms are "aquatic feedlots," similar to other forms of intensive animal production which can produce large quantities of wastes. These wastes are released directly into waterbodies and have the potential to contribute to nutrient overloading. The report also suggests that aquaculture may result in a net loss of fish protein, since feeding them can require catching more fish from the ocean than are ultimately produced on the farms. However, the report concludes that some forms of fish farming are less polluting than others, and a number of these technologies and practices are already being used by some fish farmers. (Excerpted with permission from SeaWeb, Ocean Update). For a copy of the report, contact: Becky Goldburg; Environmental Defense Fund; phone: (212) 505-2100. United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water (4303) EPA-821-F-00-002 February 2000 EPA Expands Focus on Nutrient Pollution Summary EPA's Office of Water is focusing new efforts to help reduce nutrient loadings from commercial agricultural and industrial operations nationwide. Among those efforts is a new activity to develop pollutant controls in the form of nationally applicable discharge standards (known as effluent limitations guidelines and standards) for commercial and public aquaculture operations. Background

In assessments of surface water quality, states most frequently cite siltation, nutrients, and pathogens as the major cause of water quality impairment. Over the past two years, EPA has directed resources of the Office of Water's Engineering and Analysis Division to address specific sources of these pollutants. Current activities addressing coal mining (remining operations and certain mine land reclamation activities in the arid west) and the construction and development industry are expected to result in significant reductions of soil and other solids reaching rivers, lakes and streams. Ongoing activities to control nutrients and pathogens from concentrated animal (pork, poultry, beef, and dairy) feeding operations are expected to improve water quality. In 1974, EPA issued a summary technical document for use as guidance in developing controls for wastewater discharges from fish hatcheries and farms. At that time a decision was made not to issue final national effluent limitations guidelines and standards. Based on the 1997 agricultural census data, the aquaculture industry includes close to 5,000 land based and marine environment facilities. The aquaculture industry has facilities located in every state and territory, and is currently one of several growing segments of U.S. agriculture. Given the current growth of the aquaculture industry, and the inconsistent state regulatory oversight, EPA has decided to examine technologies currently available for the control of pollutants, primarily nutrients, from land based and marine environment aquaculture operations. Although the aquaculture industry is currently subject to the permitting system, there are no national technology based standards for aquaculture. New national standards for aquaculture will assist the 43 states that are delegated by EPA to administer the NPDES (National Permit Discharge Elimination System) permitting program. Some aquaculture facilities can contribute nutrients to environmentally sensitive areas in estuaries, rivers, lakes, and streams throughout the country. Improvements in wastewater treatment within the aquaculture industry have been employed by some facilities to reduce the nutrient pollutant load. It may be possible for more facilities to employ these technologies to reduce pollutant discharge loadings to surface waters and, in some cases, water quality impairment in portions of the U.S. By examining the cost and performance of pollution control technologies and practices, EPA is committed to developing national effluent limitations guidelines and standards that are consistent with the principles of good environmental stewardship and support the long-term sustainability of the industry. Throughout this national regulatory effort, EPA will work closely with USDA and other federal agencies, academia, industry trade associations, state and local governments, citizen groups, environmental groups and other stakeholders. EPA's efforts will build on the technical expertise of nationally-recognized leaders, such as members and participants of the Federal Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture (JSA) and its newly created Aquaculture Effluents Task Force. EPA will regularly provide to the JSA, the industry, and the public, information on its data needs and the status of their efforts throughout the regulatory development period. For Further Information For additional information, contact Mike Clipper, U.S. EPA, Office of Water, Engineering and Analysis Division (4303), Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460, (202) 260-1278. E-Mail: clipper.mike@epa.gov, or Marta Jordan, U.S. EPA, Office of Water, Engineering and Analysis Division (4303), Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460, (202) 260-0817. E-Mail: jordan.marta@epa.gov. URL:http://www.epa.gov/ost/guide/aquaculture/index.html Revised March 16, 2000