Offshore aquaculture: challenges of fish farming in federal waters: hearing before the Subcommittee on National Ocean Policy Study of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, One Hundred Ninth Congress, second session, June 8, 2006.

Today, aquaculture in federal waters is among the most talked-about technologies associated with the future of seafood production in the United States. In a report to Congress, the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy recommended that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) develop a comprehensive, environmentally sound permitting and regulatory program for marine aquaculture. This book reviews research on the effect on U.S. offshore aquaculture of global and national trends in seafood supply and demand, other factors that affect market prices, such as the cost of feed and technology, social factors, government regulations and useful models from other food segments of the U.S. economy and others.

Aquaculture (AQ) -- the raising of fish and shellfish in captivity -- has been confined to near-shore coastal waters or in other water bodies that fall under state regulation. Recently, there has been interest in expanding AQ to offshore waters, which would involve raising fish and shellfish in the open ocean, and consequently bringing these types of operations under fed. regulation. No comprehensive legislative or regulatory framework to manage such an expansion exists. Instead, multiple federal agencies have authority to regulate different aspects of offshore AQ under a variety of laws. This report identifies key issues that should be addressed in the development of an effective regulatory framework for U.S. offshore AQ. Illus.