Opinion: Offshore aquaculture in the United States: Untapped potential in need of smart policy

The United States had a $14 billion seafood trade deficit in 2016, importing more than 2.5 million tons of edible fishery products, 90% of the value of the seafood Americans eat (1). Half of those seafood imports are from aquaculture (2). Meanwhile, demand in the United States for local, fresh, and sustainably produced seafood is growing, and the absence of sufficient local supply to meet this demand clearly represents a lost opportunity for sustainability and economic growth. Expanded domestic seafood production in the United States could promote significant economic development and job creation. Yet, wild-fishery production has only a relatively modest potential for sustainable growth. Aquaculture, therefore, represents the only realistic option for expanding domestic production (3). Indeed, the vast expanses of favorable growing areas with suitable depths, current speeds, temperatures, and access to ports give the United States some of the highest offshore aquaculture production potential in the world (4). And yet, despite huge potential benefits in terms of a reduced trade deficit, local job and revenue creation, and a domestic source of safe and sustainable seafood, marine aquaculture production in the United States lags far behind many other countries worldwide. This failure to realize offshore aquaculture potential is partially attributable to reasonable concerns over environmental impacts and the lack of a streamlined, objective, and predictable policy framework for offshore aquaculture permitting and regulation. The key to addressing both is scientifically informed, proactive spatial planning that identifies optimal locations for sustainable aquaculture development. This type of spatial planning could minimize negative environmental, social, and economic impacts on marine ecosystems and coastal communities while reducing uncertainty for investors and the industry. The opportunity is right beyond our shores. We just need to seize it. Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food-production sector globally (5) and is increasingly seen as an important … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: slester{at}fsu.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1