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WASHINGTON- During today’s hearing on the future of domestic aquaculture, Congressman Henry E. Brown, Jr. (R-SC), Ranking Republican on the Resources Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife, was joined by his constituent Bill Cox, Vice Chairman of the South Carolina Seafood Alliance, to address the rapidly growing need for domestic sources of seafood. At the hearing, Congressman Brown made the following remarks:
“Madam Chair, I appreciate you holding this hearing and I would especially like to thank Bill Cox who traveled from South Carolina’s Lowcountry today to represent the hard working fishermen of coastal South Carolina.
As more than 80 percent of the seafood consumed in the United States is imported, and seafood consumption is growing per person, our domestic fishing industry will soon be unable to meet this increasing demand. Additionally, much of the seafood we receive from overseas is harvested under conditions that would not meet U.S. environmental standards.
A federal program to permit offshore aquaculture would not only facilitate safe seafood sources, but would reduce our increasing dependence on imported seafood and, most importantly, create jobs for unemployed fishermen and provide an economic boost to our coastal communities.
While I understand that there are many who have environmental and financial concerns with implementing this program, I look forward to working towards legislation that will allow offshore aquaculture to be a part of our future of economic prosperity.”
The world’s production of aquaculture products has continued to grow, but the U.S. production has not kept pace. Today, offshore aquaculture produces approximately 60 million tons of seafood (valued at $70 billion) and this number continues to grow more rapidly. According to NOAA, in order to meet the growing demand for seafood, the world will need an additional 40 million tons by 2030.
The U.S. remains one of the top markets for both wild-caught seafood and aquaculture products. In 2007, the U.S. was the third largest consumer of seafood in the world with 81 percent of the seafood consumed in the U.S. being imported and 40 percent of those imports coming from aquaculture.
Today, there is no clear federal authority for the permitting of offshore aquaculture in federal waters; however, aquaculture facilities have been established in state waters off Hawaii and New Hampshire.
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