State's commercial fishing industry is sinking fast

Monday, 08 October 2007

Page 3 of 3 Pushing aquaculture The Bush administration and some congressional leaders are pushing aquaculture as the solution to gaining a foothold in the international market. Introduced earlier this year, HR-2010, or the National Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2007, would establish guidelines for farming the country’s federal waters, generally those defined as three miles off a state’s coast. The idea piqued the interest of at least one local congressman.  “If we are going to feed the world with healthy seafood, we need to look at aquaculture. And if aquaculture is going to feed the world, the United States should be the leader,” U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, R-Hanahan, wrote in a statement.  “There’s never been a need or demand for this industry because (consumers) could get a reliable cheap source overseas. It’s only now people are realizing the health and environmental concerns and the need for a blueprint for a domestic industry,” said Chris Berardini, Brown’s deputy chief of staff. Brown, the ranking Republican on the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans, is pushing for inclusion of two pilot projects in the bill, one off the shores of South Carolina that would operate in conjunction with agriculture researchers from Clemson University. It’s unclear whether the bill will pass this fall; environmental groups are asking Congress to proceed cautiously.  Tim Eichenberg, director of the Ocean Conservancy’s Pacific Regional Office, said the legislation is necessary, but shouldn’t be rushed through without rules prohibiting the introduction of foreign seafood or without safeguards for pollution and diseases that can impact the wild population. The vast amount of wild fish required to feed seafood farms—less desirable to the human consumer, but necessary for oceanic sustainability—also is a concern. One pound of farm-raised salmon, for instance, requires about four pounds of wild fish for feed, such as anchovies, Eichenberg said. “In the years ahead, more and more seafood will be consumed from fish farming,” Eichenberg said. “It’s a trend that’s inevitable and will continue to increase, and that’s why it’s so important we get this bill right.” << Start < Prev 1 2 3 Next > End >>