The United States of America’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is working to promote sustainable ocean use and boost domestic aquaculture by identifying new aquaculture opportunity areas in California and the Gulf of Mexico. These areas are being evaluated for their environmental, economic, and social suitability to support commercial aquaculture operations.
Earlier this month, NOAA released two draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statements (PEIS) aimed at identifying potential aquaculture sites in Southern California and the Gulf of Mexico. The findings will play a key role in planning for the future of aquaculture development in U.S. federal waters.
In Southern California, NOAA experts have proposed up to ten aquaculture opportunity areas. Eight of these are located in the Santa Barbara Channel, and two are in Santa Monica Bay. The proposed areas range in size from 500 to 2,000 acres, totaling approximately 16,500 acres (6,680 hectares) in federal waters.
For the Gulf of Mexico, NOAA has identified four potential aquaculture sites. One is located off the coast of Louisiana, while the other three are off the coast of Texas. The areas range from 500 to 2,000 acres in size, totaling 6,500 acres (2,600 hectares) in federal waters. The identification process is guided by science and public input, aiming to ensure that these areas can support diverse aquaculture operations while minimizing environmental impacts. The next steps will involve further evaluations and consultations before finalizing the opportunity areas.
