Have you ever thought about where your seafood, oysters and caviar come from? Are you interested in how oysters can help rebuild and revitalize coastal habitats? Are you curious about how a threatened abalone species is making a comeback through a captive breeding program?
California’s new Aquaculture Matters Web site, www.aquaculturematters.ca.gov , explores all of these issues as it seeks to educate the public about the impacts and benefits of aquaculture to the state, as well as what the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and its partner agencies are doing to promote and regulate the industry.
Aquaculture is a type of farming that is done in water rather than soil. It produces a variety of crops from finfish to oysters to seaweed and much more.
Done well, aquaculture is an efficient and environmentally sustainable way of meeting our growing demand for seafood. Seafood is delicious and good for you, but there are not enough wild fish in the oceans to meet the demand.
Aquaculture is not just about producing food. Farmers provide fish and other products for recreation, companionship, and nutritional and biomedical therapies as well.
A number of state, federal and local agencies are responsible for issuing permits to farmers and growers and regulating aquaculture practices to ensure they are environmentally sound.
CDFW’s State Aquaculture Coordinator Randy Lovell, who initiated the creation of the Web site, sees it as a valuable tool to help coordinate interagency efforts, improve communication with the aquaculture industry and raise public awareness.
“There are so many misconceptions about aquaculture, especially in California where the industry is so diverse and innovative, and the environmental standards are so rigorous,” said Lovell. “Our hope is that Aquaculture Matters will engage the public, the industry and our elected representatives, and keep them informed about the state’s latest developments in this important emerging industry.”
Aquaculture Matters will be updated regularly, and includes a “subscribe” option to receive notifications when new posts are available.
The link to register can be found on the right side of the page at www.aquaculturematters.ca.gov.
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