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The California Aquaculture Association (CAA) joined the National Aquaculture Association (NAA) in Washington, D.C. for NAA’s annual walk on the hill. The walk, which took place on October 15, 2019, brought together members of the NAA Board along with the Soy Aquaculture Alliance, US Trout Farmers Association, Troutlodge, Northwest Aquaculture Alliance, and Riverence Farms. These associations and businesses were a welcome addition and brought expertise in the lack of drug approvals, agricultural commodity transportation, increasing double-crested cormorant numbers, and need for targeted funding.

Walk on the Hill Teams

From the group, five teams were formed to present their respective aquaculture issues to Congress. The teams met with a total of 24 Senators and 32 House members to advocate for improvements to the Food and Drug Administration drug approval process, marine aquaculture topics including creating legislation allowing farming in federal waters and creating and preserving working waterfront, transportation issues focused on the regulations impacting the long haul delivery of live fish and exempting aquaculture workers from the Merchant Marine Act, the passage of companion legislation in both houses to reestablish the Aquaculture and Public Resource Depredation Orders, and targeted appropriations to employ shellfish geneticists on West and East Coast to improve disease resistance and strength the national aquatic animal health program within USDA.

The walk on the hill was a resounding success, with members of Congress, representing districts throughout the nation, receptive to and engaged in the issues facing the aquaculture industry.

For additional information about the walk on the hill or to request issue briefs presented to Congress, CAA members are encouraged to contact Executive Director, Michael Lee at info@caaquaculture.org. 

Senate Commerce Committee Hearing

On Wednesday, October 16th, 2019 the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hosted a hearing, Feeding America: Making Sustainable Offshore Aquaculture a Reality to discuss establishing marine aquaculture in federal waters. During the hearing, Senator Cantwell (D-WA) stated opposition to offshore fin-fish aquaculture. Senator Wicker (R-MS), as Commerce Committee chair, is holding the hearing record open for public comment. It is worth noting that, in a meeting during the walk on the hill the previous day, Senator Wicker’s staff and members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation were optimistic about reintroducing updated offshore aquaculture legislation, the Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture (AQUAA) Act, which would address opposition’s concerns.

From left to right: Michael Lee (California Aquaculture Association), Jim Parsons (Cooke Aquaculture Pacific), Jeanne McKnight (Northwest Aquaculture Alliance), Andy Tauer (Soy Aquaculture Alliance)

From left to right: Bill Dewey (Taylor Shellfish), Michael Lee (California Aquaculture Association), Jim Parsons (Cooke Aquaculture Pacific), Jeanne McKnight (Northwest Aquaculture Alliance)