Obama Administration Allows Factory Fish Farms in Gulf of Mexico

Obama Administration Allows Factory Fish Farms in Gulf of Mexico

Statement of Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter

“Today, the very agency tasked with conservation and management of our national fish resources, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), failed to protect fishing communities and the marine environment by allowing an unpopular and potentially harmful ocean fish farming plan for the Gulf of Mexico to pass into effect. NMFS was involved for the entire five years this plan was under discussion, and had since January of 2009 to decide whether ocean fish farming is the right thing to do for the Gulf. Time for indecision ran out today. Rather than taking a stand, the agency looked the other way and chose to stay silent, letting the plan pass by default. The agency’s silence is a choice in itself: to allow development of what are essentially factory farms of the sea—dirty, crowded mass-production facilities that can harm the environment and produce lower-quality fish for consumers. The plan lacks specifics about important issues: unknown types of facilities will be able to grow unspecified types of fish in locations approved by NMFS on a case-by-case basis, from three to 200 miles offshore in the Gulf. The development of these facilities will likely cause major ecological problems, and could undercut prices local fishermen receive for their catch, threatening an already vulnerable job market.

“In addition to the overwhelming public opposition to this plan, its legality is highly questionable. Under existing federal law, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and NMFS do not have the authority to permit ocean fish farming.

“Further, offshore fish farming is not the solution to the nation’s demand for seafood. A May 2008 report by the Government Accountability Office points out significant environmental concerns associated with ocean fish farming that have not yet been addressed. Problems include: flow of concentrated amounts of fish food, wastes, and any chemicals or antibiotics that may be used in farms straight into ocean waters; escaped farmed fish intermixing with or outcompeting wild fish for food and habitat; the spread of parasites and disease to wild populations; effects on predators and marine mammals, and others. Existing offshore farm facilities in Hawaii state waters have proven extremely unpopular with native Hawaiian fishermen and many others, for failing to recognize and respect cultural and historic ocean uses and impacts to the marine environment.

“Better alternatives exist for meeting the ever-rising demand for seafood and growing a cleaner, greener, safer seafood production industry to supplement, rather than overtake, wild-catch fisheries in the U.S.  Land-based, recirculating aquaculture systems—commonly called RAS—are closed-loop facilities that retain and treat the water in the system. This method of fish farming can reduce discharge of waste, the need for antibiotics or chemicals used to combat disease, and fish and parasite escapes. RAS are not connected to open waters, and therefore can be used to grow a wide range of plants and fish without threatening the environment or competing with fishermen. Innovative technologies are being used to reduce energy usage and wild fish in feed for RAS.

"Rather than pushing an ocean fish farming industry forward that is likely to undermine ecosystems health and local jobs, NMFS and other agencies should work to promote a more sustainable option, like RAS.”

To read Food & Water Watch’s comment letter on the Gulf Offshore Aquaculture Plan, visit http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/fish/fish-farming/offshore/Gulf-OOA-Comment-Letter or contact eschuetz@fwwatch.org for a digital copy.