Marine Aquaculture Regulation in the United States: Environmental Policy and Management Issues

The U.S. marine aquaculture industry is extremely young. While catfish and trout culture have existed for many decades, the cultivation of species in marine and coastal environments has only emerged within the last 30 yr. Only 15% of total domestic aquaculture production in 1991 consisted of marine species, with oysters representing 80% of marine aquaculture production. The U.S. marine aquaculture industry has not kept pace with the growth of the world industry. One major reason for this slow growth is the absence of a unified federal and state policy and regulatory framework for U.S. marine aquaculture. According to a 1983 study commission by the Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture, as many as 11 federal agencies are directly involved in regulating aquaculture, and another 10 are indirectly involved. However, only a limited number of direct permitting and licensing requirements are imposed by federal agencies. Thirty-two state regulatory programs were examined and it was discovered that over 1,200 state laws were found to have some significant bearing on aquaculture operations. The majority of laws and regulations that specifically authorize, permit or con~ol aquaculture are usually found at the state level. A review of the current literature suggests that neither the federal nor state regulatory situation has improved since 1983. An examination of South Carolina policy and regulatory actions was undertaken to assess the regulatory and institutional status of marine aquaculture. The state has adopted a strategic plan for aquaculture development, published an interim guidebook to aquaculture permitting, established a state aquaculture permit, and amended and passed legislation on specific industry needs. While South Carolina is viewed by many as having made significant strides in minimiz’mg regulatory and institutional constraints, the growth of marine aquaculture in the state remains slow, and reflects the situation across the country. A number of strategies to remove the barriers marine aquaculture faces have been offered; however, without the development of an overall policy framework at the federal and state level, the potential of marine aquaculture to fWill the counhy’s seafood needs will remain