The push to open oceans to industrial fish farming is moving forward. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is prioritizing the development of ocean factory farms, which add pollution, threaten commercial fish species, produce unhealthy seafood and harm coastal communities.
Now Congress is catering to offshore aquaculture. There is now a new bill to amend the Magnuson-Stevens Act introduced in Congress: “Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture” or AQUAA. The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Association has prepared a sign-on letter for commercial fishermen. As explained in the letter, “industrial seafood farms threaten the integrity of the wild fish populations that are key to our industry’s success, and the coastal communities we support.”
Farmed fish escape, competing with wild stocks and introduce a host of lethal diseases and parasites to healthy wild fish. Marine pollution degrades the marine ecosystem through wastes, feed, and chemical treatments. ALFA asks fishermen to read and sign on to the letter.
The sign-on letter is available through the following link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdx6VjmFa3Hkc4saDkDvN2nq0YU5pb8rXmhrD_j7tzRPdJ7UQ/viewform