New Bill on Offshore Fish Farming Misses the Mark on Environmental Protections

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Dr. Rebecca Goldberg, (917) 912-0333

(March 12, 2007 - Washington, DC) - Environmental Defense criticized a new proposed bill by the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) that would create the first permitting system in this country for fish farms—or aquaculture – in deep ocean waters. The proposal was announced this afternoon by Commerce Secretary Gutierrez at the Boston Seafood Show and will be available online at www.aquaculture.noaa.gov .

“Consumer demand for healthy food – and seafood in particular – is flying high,” said Environmental Defense senior scientist Dr. Rebecca Goldburg. “Fish farming can help meet this demand, but only if it is done right. This means avoiding additional ocean pollution, preventing escapes of farmed fish and minimizing the spread of parasites and disease to wild fish populations. Unfortunately, this bill does not require that these key environmental impacts be minimized.”

In addition, most offshore aquaculture requires more fish to be caught for feed than it actually produces. “The unfortunate irony in many fish farming schemes is that they don’t make economic or environmental sense,” said Goldburg. “The fish targeted for offshore farms, such as cod, halibut and tuna, are carnivores and thus are fed fish to grow. We’re depleting one pool of resources to augment another.”

Legislation similar to the bill announced today was introduced to the U.S. Senate in June 2005 by Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) as a courtesy to NOAA. That bill was heavily criticized by environmental and fishing organizations and never made it out of committee. “Unfortunately,” commented Goldburg, “NOAA has still not added key legal requirements essential to protecting the marine environment.” 

For more on our oceans program, visit www.oceansalive.org.