Marine Task Force to Develop National Standards for Ocean Aquaculture Announced

NOAA Releases Offshore Aquaculture Bill

¡¥Ocean Researchers Take Fish Farming Off-Shore¡¦¡V Story on National Public Radio

National Public Radio¡¦s All Things Considered featured offshore marine aquaculture research and its prospects for both overcoming the ecological concerns of pollution and depleted fisheries. Rich Langan, Director of the University of New Hampshire¡¦s Cooperative Institute for New England Mariculture & Fisheries, is interviewed about their in-water research. To hear an audio track and read the transcript go to:  http://www.npr.org/display_pages/features/feature_3620330.html

Meeting Scheduled On The Development Of A Management Plan For Offshore Aquaculture (US)

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) has scheduled a meeting of its Ad Hoc Aquaculture Advisory Panel (AP) on August 25-26, 2004 at the Saint Louis Hotel, 730 Rue Bienville, New Orleans, Louisiana. The meeting will begin at 1:00 p.m on August 25, 2004 and conclude no later than 3:00 p.m. on August 26, 2004. The AP consists largely of scientists with expertise in marine aquaculture. The AP will be redrafting the Generic Amendment Providing for Regulation of Offshore Marine Aquaculture (Amendment). The draft amendment contains scientific information on culture of marine fish and on the environment affects of such aquaculture. The amendment also contains many alternatives that could be used to regulate aquaculture by best management practices (BMP). The Council solicited public comment on the draft amendment in eight scoping hearings. The AP will consider these public recommendations in redrafting the amendment.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils that were established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council prepares fishery management plans that are designed to manage fishery resources in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Copies of the discussion material for this meeting may be obtained by calling 813.228.2815. The meeting is open to the public and is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office by August 13, 2004. For more information go to: www.gulfcouncil.org

Farming the Deep Blue  Invest in the Offshore Revolution   October 6&7, 2004  Limerick, Ireland

Global Assessment of Organic Contaminants in Farmed Salmon   <http://www.pewtrust.org/pdf/salmon_study.pdf>
9 JANUARY 2004 VOL 303 SCIENCE <www.sciencemag.org>

Review of ¡V ¡§Global Assessment of Organic Contaminants in Farmed Salmon¡¨, Science 2004. by Charles R. Santerre, PhD; Associate Professor, Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University; Email: <santerre@purdue.edu>; Phone: 765/496-3443.

Farm - Raised Salmon Linked to Pollutants     New York Times Article    January 8, 2004

• Project team letter to the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy with specific recommendations on the development of a policy framework for offshore aquaculture. Click here to download the letter as a MS Word document

• Proposed Legislation Would Convert Oil Rigs to Aquaculture Sites

The proposed "Rigs to Reefs Act of 2003" (HR 2644) would amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to create regulations to authorize use of decommissioned offshore oil and gas platforms for culture of marine organisms, artificial reefs, scientific research and other purposes. The proposed legislation would also limit liability of former platform owners when structures are converted to other activities, require a study of how platform removal would affect existing fish stocks and coral populations and amend certain tax provisions. The Bill was introduced by Congressman David Vitter of Louisiana and has been referred to several committees for review. A copy of the Bill can be found at: <http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:h2654ih.txt.pdf>
 
 
• Open Ocean Aquaculture in Hawaii ¡V by Charles E. Helsley, Emeritus Researcher, SOEST, University of Hawaii at Manoa

• Offshore Wind farm Resource Page - compiled by the Cape Cod Times

• Pew Oceans Commission releases final report . On June 4, 2003 the Pew Oceans Commission released its report on the state of America's living oceans, the first comprehensive review of  U.S. ocean policy in more that 30 years. The report provides recommendations for  restoring and protecting ocean ecosystems, rebuilding fish populations, controlling coastal development, curbing pollution, and improving ocean governance.

• National Fisheries Institute Disputes Pew Oceans Report
• NFI press release
• NFI question-and-answer document