The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) has welcomed the federal rule published this week by NOAA implementing a marine aquaculture fishery management plan for the Gulf of Mexico, and says that it will grow the market for soybean meal.
The plan creates a permitting and development process for offshore aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico federal waters.
“The US currently imports 91% of the seafood we eat,” says Tim Scates, ISA director. “Allowing carefully managed aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico will provide a market for our soybeans and a domestic source of sustainable fish. Aquaculture operations can replace marine-based fishmeal with soybean meal, a proven, renewable protein alternative.”
According to Neil Anthony Sims, president of the Ocean Stewards Institute, aquaculture has a lower overall ecological footprint on energy use, fresh water, land use and greenhouse gas emissions compared to other forms of protein production.
“Open ocean aquaculture – in deeper water, further offshore – can further minimise potential fish culture impacts,” he explains. “We look forward to working with NOAA to implement this plan and create a sustainable commercial aquaculture industry in US federal waters.”
Offshore aquaculture can help meet US demand for fresh finfish like snapper, red drum, cobia and almaco jack. However, harvesting wild anchovies and sardines for fishmeal is becoming more costly and impacts ocean ecosystems, according to Bridget Owen, Soy Aquaculture Alliance executive director.
“Including soy protein in aquafeed diets assists aquaculture farmers with reducing costs and improving sustainability of production,” explains Ms Owen. “A wealth of research has proven that soybean meal and soy protein concentrate products provide excellent protein resources to meet the nutrition of a number of shrimp and finfish species.”
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