Innovasea: US rule changes must be nailed down in law
US-based aquaculture technology supplier Innovasea has stressed the need for an aquaculture act to ensure that changes made in an Executive Order by President Donald Trump are permanent.
The Executive Order issued last week will make it easier and simpler to establish fish farms in the country’s territorial waters.
However, Innovasea, best known for its SeaStation submersible cages, is keen for such changes to be the subject of legislation so they remain in place in the long term.
Byzantine process
“The White House’s action is a positive step toward simplifying the United States’ byzantine regulatory review process for aquaculture, which can be daunting, expensive and time-consuming for businesses looking to get into sustainable fish farming,” said Innovasea chief executive David Kelly in a press release.
“But Executive Orders can be rescinded, which is why we’re also urging Congress to take up the bipartisan AQUAA Act that was filed earlier this year that would permanently establish a clearly defined regulatory framework for aquaculture in the United States.”
The Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture Act (AQUAA Act) was introduced by Minnesota Congressman Collin Peterson, a Democrat and chairman of the US House of Representatives, and Mississippi Congressman Steven Palazzo, a Republican, in March.
Streamlining permitting
“The AQUAA Act streamlines the federal permitting process to usher in a wave of American aquaculture and reduce our dependency on foreign seafood imports while we grow a sustainable market. Food security is national security and we must work to ensure America is prepared to meet the needs of tomorrow’s food demand,” said Palazzo.
It is the second effort to have the bill enacted, after last year’s attempt timed out.
Read more about the AQUAA Act in the current edition of Fish Farming Expert magazine, available to read online on the fishfarmingexpert.com home page.
