An Alaskan Perspective onAn Alaskan Perspective onOffshore AquacultureOffshore Aquaculture

Presented by Paula TerrelAlaska Marine Conservation Council

The Alaska Marine Conservation Council (AMCC):The Alaska Marine Conservation Council (AMCC):

Is a communityIs a community--based organization of over 800 based organization of over 800 individualsindividuals

We are unique in two primary ways:We are unique in two primary ways:

We are a statewide, communityWe are a statewide, community--based conservation based conservation organization focused on fisheries;organization focused on fisheries;

Is a bridge between the conservation and fishing Is a bridge between the conservation and fishing communities.communities.

Alaska Alaska –– The Great LandThe Great Land

Unalaska Toksook Bay

Homer Southeast

Blessing of the fleet, Juneau

Longlining for halibut Jigging for cod & rockfish

Longlining for black cod Trawling for groundfish

Crabbing in the Bering Sea and Southeast Alaska

Subsistence fishing traditions

Seining for salmon in Kodiak, southeast Alaska and Prince William Sound

Gillnetting for salmon in Bristol Bay, Southeast Alaska and Prince William Sound

Trolling with hook and line for salmon in Southeast Alaska

The seafood industry is AlaskaThe seafood industry is Alaska’’s s largest private industry employerlargest private industry employer

Fishing industry jobs include everything from fishing to processing to marketing fish in communities

Marine habitat in Alaska is largely intact Marine habitat in Alaska is largely intact and most fish & shellfish species are and most fish & shellfish species are

healthyhealthy..

NOAANOAA’’ss Conflicting RoleConflicting Role

Given all this, is it any surprise that Given all this, is it any surprise that fishermen would find it more than worrisome fishermen would find it more than worrisome that NOAA, the steward of our ocean that NOAA, the steward of our ocean resources would promote a questionable resources would promote a questionable program that puts these same resources at program that puts these same resources at risk?risk?

What is What is NOAANOAA’’ss rationale for rationale for promoting offshore aquaculture and promoting offshore aquaculture and

how does it stand up to scrutiny?how does it stand up to scrutiny?

NOAA says:NOAA says:offshore aquaculture is needed to address our offshore aquaculture is needed to address our nationnation’’s seafood deficit.s seafood deficit.

ButBut……NOAA hasnNOAA hasn’’t proved its case for a seafood deficit t proved its case for a seafood deficit and is looking at a very narrow explanation of and is looking at a very narrow explanation of "economics" with no human or social element."economics" with no human or social element.

The seafood deficit argumentThe seafood deficit argument

The feedThe feed--thethe--world argumentworld argument

NOAA says:NOAA says:wild fisheries cannot meet wild fisheries cannot meet present or future demand forpresent or future demand forfish; offshore aquaculture fish; offshore aquaculture will feed the world and will feed the world and relieve pressure on wild relieve pressure on wild stocks.stocks.

ButBut……The high cost of implementing offshore aquaculture in The high cost of implementing offshore aquaculture in the U.S. means that species being considered are high the U.S. means that species being considered are high value, carnivorous fish (such as halibut and black cod) value, carnivorous fish (such as halibut and black cod) that require more food than they produce in edible that require more food than they produce in edible protein.protein.

The The ““enhance fish stocksenhance fish stocks”” argumentargument

NOAA says:NOAA says:offshore aquacultureoffshore aquaculturewill enhance depleted will enhance depleted wild fish stocks.wild fish stocks.

Bottom line:Bottom line:Offshore aquaculture should not be a Offshore aquaculture should not be a

substitute for good fisheries management. substitute for good fisheries management.

The The ““offshore is less risky than offshore is less risky than nearshorenearshore”” argumentargument

NOAA says:NOAA says:Offshore aquaculture will result in fewer environmental Offshore aquaculture will result in fewer environmental concerns than those plaguing coastal fish farming.concerns than those plaguing coastal fish farming.

ButBut……Many environmental risks that weMany environmental risks that we’’ve seen with coastal ve seen with coastal fish farms are likely to exist with offshore aquaculture, fish farms are likely to exist with offshore aquaculture, includingincluding::——escapes of nonescapes of non--native species native species ——spread of disease from farmed to wild spread of disease from farmed to wild

Bottom line: research has not proved that the risks are less when you move offshore.

NOAA says:NOAA says:Offshore aquaculture will Offshore aquaculture will complement and not complement and not compete with wild fisheries.compete with wild fisheries.

ButBut……Likely conflicts will be with Likely conflicts will be with commercial, recreational, commercial, recreational, and subsistence fishermen and subsistence fishermen who rely upon marine who rely upon marine resources and will not want resources and will not want to be shut out of fishing to be shut out of fishing grounds.grounds.

The user conflict argumentThe user conflict argument

NOAA says:NOAA says:Offshore aquaculture will happen in other parts of the Offshore aquaculture will happen in other parts of the world whether or not the U.S. permits it, so we should world whether or not the U.S. permits it, so we should take advantage of the economic gain.take advantage of the economic gain.

ButBut……Should we risk degrading our marine environment?Should we risk degrading our marine environment?Should we contribute to the social and economic decline Should we contribute to the social and economic decline of our coastal communities?of our coastal communities?

Bottom line: Bottom line: Just because other areas of the world may Just because other areas of the world may pursue offshore aquaculture doesnpursue offshore aquaculture doesn’’t mean it makes sense t mean it makes sense for the U.S.for the U.S.

The The ““other countries will do it, so other countries will do it, so we should too,we should too,”” argumentargument

The job argumentThe job argumentNOAA says: NOAA says:

Offshore aquaculture will Offshore aquaculture will provide yearprovide year--round jobs round jobs opportunities in coastal opportunities in coastal communities.communities.

ButBut……High cost of tending fish far High cost of tending fish far from shore means facilities will from shore means facilities will likely be automated. likely be automated. U.S. cannot compete with U.S. cannot compete with labor costs in other countries.labor costs in other countries.

Bottom line: Bottom line: Employment Employment opportunities will be few and opportunities will be few and Mom and Pop operations will Mom and Pop operations will not survive.not survive.

The National Offshore The National Offshore Aquaculture Act (S.1195)Aquaculture Act (S.1195)

Legislation to authorize fish farming in federal watersLegislation to authorize fish farming in federal waters

S.1195 is flawed S.1195 is flawed

The legislation:The legislation:Lacks adequate environmental, monitoring, and enforcement Lacks adequate environmental, monitoring, and enforcement standards; specifics to be decided during regulatory process.standards; specifics to be decided during regulatory process.Provides no specific criteria for issuance of permits.Provides no specific criteria for issuance of permits.Does not protect states that decide to opt out of OOA from the Does not protect states that decide to opt out of OOA from the potential risks from neighboring states who may choose to proceepotential risks from neighboring states who may choose to proceed d with OOA.with OOA.Appears to still allow foreign ownership & transferability of peAppears to still allow foreign ownership & transferability of permits.rmits.Exempts offshore aquaculture from the MSA.Exempts offshore aquaculture from the MSA.Is not based on strong scientific principles and analyses which Is not based on strong scientific principles and analyses which would would be provided by a Legislative Environmental Impact Statement whicbe provided by a Legislative Environmental Impact Statement which h NOAA has refused to do.NOAA has refused to do.

AMCCAMCC’’ss PositionPositionAMCC has consistently opposed offshore AMCC has consistently opposed offshore aquaculture for finfish and crustaceans aquaculture for finfish and crustaceans (shrimp) because of social, environmental (shrimp) because of social, environmental and economic concerns.and economic concerns.

AMCC opposes S.1195 as currently AMCC opposes S.1195 as currently introduced for many reasons, among them:introduced for many reasons, among them:–– lack of specific environmental, monitoring and lack of specific environmental, monitoring and

enforcement standardsenforcement standards–– Too much left to the discretion of the Secretary of Too much left to the discretion of the Secretary of

Commerce Commerce –– NOAANOAA’’ss ““trust metrust me”” attitude that all will be resolved in attitude that all will be resolved in

the regulatory process and the process will be the regulatory process and the process will be transparent.transparent.

AMCC supports the intent of S. 796 (Senator AMCC supports the intent of S. 796 (Senator Lisa MurkowskiLisa Murkowski’’s bill)s bill)

AMCC is open to continuing discussions with AMCC is open to continuing discussions with decision makers on offshore aquaculture decision makers on offshore aquaculture legislation and, as an organization that has been legislation and, as an organization that has been actively engaged in this issue, we wish to actively engaged in this issue, we wish to continue being continue being ““at the table.at the table.””

An LEIS is essential to identify for CongressAn LEIS is essential to identify for Congress–– the environmental risks and impacts of OOA to the environmental risks and impacts of OOA to

marine resourcesmarine resources–– the social and economic risks and impacts of OOA to the social and economic risks and impacts of OOA to

coastal communities.coastal communities.

AMCC Supports:AMCC Supports:

•• Conservative management Conservative management of wild fisheries. of wild fisheries.

•• CommunityCommunity--based based opportunities for opportunities for independent fishing families. independent fishing families.

•• Advanced marketing of Advanced marketing of healthy, wild seafood healthy, wild seafood products. products.

Offshore fish farming is Offshore fish farming is incompatible with this incompatible with this community vision.community vision.

Alaska Marine Conservation CouncilAlaska Marine Conservation Council

www.akmarine.orgwww.akmarine.org

S. 1195 contradicts S. 1195 contradicts the Food and Agriculture Organization Code of Conduct for the Food and Agriculture Organization Code of Conduct for

Responsible Fisheries and Aquaculture DevelopmentResponsible Fisheries and Aquaculture Development

The precautionary approach should be applied The precautionary approach should be applied toto””the conservation, management & exploitation of the conservation, management & exploitation of living aquatic resources in order to protect them & living aquatic resources in order to protect them & preserve the aquatic environment.preserve the aquatic environment.””

Any new ventures cannot supplant existing Any new ventures cannot supplant existing activities & incomes.activities & incomes.

““States should ensure that the livelihoods of local States should ensure that the livelihoods of local communities and their access to fishing grounds, communities and their access to fishing grounds, are not negatively affected by aquaculture are not negatively affected by aquaculture developments.developments.””