The White House National Science and Technology Council has finalized the federal government’s new aquaculture plan, the first in 40 years.

On 16 December, NOAA Fisheries revealed that the council had finalized the Strategic Plan for Aquaculture Economic Development, which outlines the government plans to invest in infrastructure, establish new research and development programs, and provide capitol to the domestic aquaculture sector.

“This Strategic Plan for Aquaculture Economic Development outlines federal actions to advance a robust, resilient, globally competitive, and environmentally sustainable domestic aquaculture sector,” the final document states.

The plan’s self-stated intention is to help the U.S. aquaculture sector grow, providing guidance on what steps the government will undertake over the next five years to do so.

“This plan supports both the viability and expansion of existing aquaculture operations, and it encourages new entrants by addressing needs across the seafood supply chain and diverse production systems,” the plan states. “The proposed actions serve as points of intersection between climate-smart food production, public-private partnerships, blue economy, community resilience and health, workforce development, working waterfronts, urban and rural development, and seafood supply chains.”

The plan outlines four goals for the federal government as it works to expand the domestic aquaculture base, including:

Support aquaculture engagement, communications, and literacy; Support infrastructure and workforce development; Encourage industry investment; and Expand market opportunities for U.S. aquaculture products.

The Strategic Plan for Aquaculture Economic Development is the third and final part of the White House’s National Aquaculture Development Plan. The other two parts – the National Strategic Plan for Aquaculture Research, which outlines federal priorities for research and technology, and the Strategic Plan to Enhance Regulatory Efficiency in Aquaculture, which outlines how federal agencies can “improve efficiency, predictability, timelines, and reduce costs associated with the regulatory process” – were completed in 2022.

The aquaculture industry voiced support for the plan when the draft was released earlier this year, arguing that the sector needs more regulatory clarity from the federal government in order to grow.

“Aquaculture expansion not only addresses food security needs, but also presents an opportunity to create quality jobs and reduce our reliance on seafood imports, strengthening America's food independence,” Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS)  Campaign Manager Drue Banta Winters said  in support of an earlier draft of the plan. “Yet, to build a robust, resilient, globally competitive, and environmentally sustainable domestic aquaculture sector, federal agencies must have clear statutory authority and a timely and affordable regulatory process to establish farms in U.S. waters. Until that is established, aquaculture will remain hindered in the U.S.” 

The U.S. Government also attempted to expand aquaculture via a 7 April, 2020 executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump. That order pushed for removing barriers to permitting, improving regulatory transparency, and establishing "Aquaculture Opportunity Areas to support domestic aquaculture efforts. 

Source - https://www.seafoodsource.com