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U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) reintroduced the bipartisan S 3100 Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture (AQUAA) Act to establish national standards for sustainable offshore aquaculture.

The bill would designate the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as the lead federal agency for marine aquaculture. The legislation would also direct NOAA to harmonize the permitting system for offshore aquaculture for farms in federal waters, and direct the agency to lead a research and development grant program to spur innovation throughout the industry. The senators first introduced the legislation in September 2020. Click here to read the reintroduced legislation.

“Marine aquaculture presents an enormous opportunity for Florida’s economy and for the food security of our nation,” Rubio said. “Unfortunately, the absence of a federal permitting and regulatory framework has hindered American aquaculture industries. This bipartisan legislation would establish a transparent permitting process and provide regulatory certainty for this important industry to promote new domestic seafood supply chains.”

“Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production sector, but the U.S. lacks a comprehensive, nationwide system for permitting in federal waters,” Wicker said. “This deficiency prevents the development of aquaculture farms, leading to more seafood imports. Our legislation would establish national standards for offshore aquaculture, enabling U.S. producers to create jobs and meet the growing demand for fresh, local seafood.”

“Hawai‘i’s diverse aquaculture produced over $80 million of finfish, shellfish, and algae in 2019. At the same time, the movement to restore native Hawaiian fishponds such as those at He‘eia and Maunalua continues to develop momentum. This bipartisan bill would increase federal support for both,” Schatz said. “I thank Senators Wicker and Rubio for their partnership, and look forward to working with them to pass this groundbreaking legislation.”

Aquaculture refers to the farming of fish, shellfish, and algae in water for food. Over 90 percent of the seafood in the United States is imported, 50 percent of which is derived from aquaculture. Currently, there are no active aquaculture farms in U.S. federal waters.

S 3100, Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture Act, would:

• Uphold existing environmental standards while providing regulatory certainty and clarity to the industry;
• Include a set of national standards to guide development of offshore aquaculture, and aquaculture management plans that implement those standards on a regional scale;
• Include a national plan to identify and establish areas particularly well-suited for aquaculture, similar to the President’s recent Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth;
• Establish an Office of Marine Aquaculture within NOAA, which would be charged with coordinating the federal permitting process;
• Establish a permit through NOAA that would give an individual the security of tenure necessary to secure financing for an aquaculture operation; and,
• Fund research and extension services to support innovation and the growth of aquaculture in the United States.