Refuting Marine Aquaculture Myths, Unfounded Criticisms, and Assumptions

Sustainable domestic aquaculture development is a critical component to achieving greater U.S. seafood security in the future, yet detrimental allegations have corrupted public support. A variety of longstanding and inaccurate myths assumptions directed at offshore farming its regulation been foisted on public. This paper refutes most prevalent critiques by reviewing current policies, regulations, research industry production practices. These criticisms include: inadequate regulatory oversight; portrayal farms as being high density factories unconcerned food waste, untreated discharge, use antibiotic antifungal treatments; entanglement marine mammals; impacts wild stocks habitats; feed additives pigment fish flesh; unsustainable meal formulations; potential market disruption producing cheap, low quality products; commercial fishers cannot coexist for-profit businesses. Marine not risk-free terms environmental, economic, social, cultural challenges remain achieve sustainable industry. are well known addressable global community. Current realities bode for future: 1) there clear imperative sustainably produce more meet growing demand has resources become major exporter, if law can be amended grant farmers property right or tenure sites federal waters; 2) ocean work within very complex effective legal, regulatory, science-driven environment anticipate mitigate impacts; 3) farm level management decisions state frameworks worked together bring about environmentally friendly siting, operational, outcomes, 4) community advocates government, universities, recognize it essential reach out decision-makers interested public, critics, with latest empirical results present an accurate picture risks rewards development.