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Senators Advance Controversial Aquaculture Bill, Threatening Coastal Economies and Ecosystems

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senators Roger Wicker (R-MO), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) have introduced Senate Bill 4723, which would pave the way for the federal government to permit offshore, industrial finfish farming facilities.

This form  of aquaculture uses giant floating net pens and cages that allow pollution, like excess feed, fish waste and chemicals, to flow freely into open waters, damaging marine ecosystems and thus harming the local fishermen and coastal economies that depend on them. The Act’s introduction follows recent efforts from the Trump administration to fast-track development of this outdated and unnecessary industry.

For decades, various administrations have attempted to push offshore marine finfish aquaculture – through numerous failed federal bills, agencies overreaching authority to make regulations and most recently, through Executive Orders. Forceful public opposition and courts have prevented the industry from developing since the 1980’s.

In response to this most recent legislation introduction , members of the Don’t Cage Our Ocean Coalition issued the following statements:

“Industrial finfish aquaculture facilities harm wild ecosystems, risk coastal economies and threaten local fishermen’s livelihoods. Instead of supporting the corporate takeover of our oceans, lawmakers should safeguard the economic livelihoods of fishermen and coastal residents who are already struggling and would be disproportionately harmed by industrial aquaculture,” said Rosanna Marie Neil, policy counsel for Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance.

“Congress should support sustainable seafood production with local fishermen and businesses, rather than allowing a new unwanted and unnecessary industry to pollute our already struggling ecosystems that we all depend on. It’s embarrassing that Congressional leaders are pushing this bill now, when there are so many other critical  issues that require attention,” said Marianne Cufone, Director of the Recirculating Farms Coalition.

“We need strong environmental leadership from both sides of the aisle in Congress to ensure that our ecosystems remain resilient. The last thing we should be doing is allowing corporations to dump even more toxins into our oceans by rubber-stamping these dangerous developments,” said Hallie Templeton, senior oceans campaigner for Friends of the Earth.

The AQUAA Act’s introduction comes in spite of extensive opposition from environmentalists, the wild-capture fishing industry, indigenous nations and local communities. In May, the Trump administration issued an executive order to speed the development of these facilities, and federal agencies have since taken further steps to deregulate and limit environmental review.

Contact: Kara WatkinsChow, kara.watkinschow@berlinrosen.com

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Senators Advance Controversial Aquaculture Bill, Threatening Coastal Economies and Ecosystems

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senators Roger Wicker (R-MO), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) have introduced Senate Bill 4723, which would pave the way for the federal government to permit offshore, industrial finfish farming facilities.

This form of aquaculture uses giant floating net pens and cages that allow pollution to flow freely into open waters, damaging marine ecosystems and thus harming the local fishermen and coastal economies that depend on them.

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Federal Government Steps Forward On Approving Harmful Aquaculture Facility Off San Diego, CA

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) yesterday announced its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Pacific Ocean AquaFarms facility off the coast of San Diego, CA, bringing this risky project one step closer to reality. This announcement follows the agency’s recent decision to designate federal waters in Southern California and the Gulf of Mexico as Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs), a move toward pre-approval of these AOAs for aquaculture development with little review or oversight.

Federal Government Steps Forward On Approving Harmful Aquaculture Facility Off San Diego, CA

San Diego, CA — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) yesterday announced its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Pacific Ocean AquaFarms facility off the coast of San Diego, CA, bringing this risky project one step closer to reality. This announcement follows the agency’s recent decision to designate federal waters in Southern California and the Gulf of Mexico as Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs), a move toward pre-approval of these AOAs for aquaculture development with little review or oversight. Industrial open ocean aquaculture uses massive floating net pens to raise thousands of finfish, and allows fish waste and other pollution from antibiotics, pesticides and other chemicals used in the facilities, to flow freely into the surrounding ocean.

In response, Friends of the Earth, Recirculating Farms Coalition and Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, members of the Don’t Cage Our Ocean Coalition, issued the following statement:

The federal government is once again risking local ecosystems and coastal economies to expand industrial aquaculture without careful consideration of the many negative impacts. Industrial aquaculture facilities can disrupt ecosystems,  harm coastal economies and threaten the livelihoods of fishing communities. The government needs to stop prioritizing risky, dangerous and outdated methods of fish production at the expense of responsible seafood producers. We need to put the brakes on these unnecessary projects and not rubber-stamp industrial development in our oceans.

Contact: Claudia Hensley, claudia.hensley@berlinrosen.com

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