The agriculture industry of County of Monterey generates more than $4.5 billion in revenue annually and supports more than 75,000 jobs. Monterey farmers are known for producing quality leafy greens, strawberries and other agriculture products for the world. Why is it then, in a region with the expertise to grow high quality foods and that supports a number of world recognized marine research institutions, that California imports more than 90 percent of its farm raised fish and seafood from other countries and states?
That was the question raised at last month’s Pathways to Sustainable Aquaculture in California conference in Moss Landing. The challenge put to aquaculture industry, researchers, coastal managers and environmental organizations is to identify how we can ramp up the production of high quality farm raised seafood that grows to mirror the production of the agriculture industry.
Farming within the Monterey Bay took years to develop through hard work, government support and to some degree the unmanaged transformation of our valleys to productive cropland. That process, however, wasn’t without real and significant environmental consequences. Today, agriculture is working to address California’s environmental objectives while remaining a competitive global industry…
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