The Minerals Management Service (MMS), a bureau of the Department of the Interior, is to trying to allow development of huge ocean fish farms on America's outer continental shelf (OCS) - an expansive area that stretches from 3 to 200 nautical miles offshore.
 
MMS is holding meetings around the country and accepting public comment on this risky proposal through September 8th. Please read on to send your comment today!
 
As part of their proposed 'Alternative Energy and Alternate Uses' plan, they intend to allow existing and new energy facilities - such as oil rigs and wind farms - to be used as parent sites for the development of polluting, industrial scale open ocean aquaculture facilities.

Congress has refused to approve any legislation enabling establishment of an open ocean aquaculture industry for various reasons: including, public concerns about pollution; the use of wild fish to feed captive fish; harm to ocean wildlife; and social and economic impacts to fishermen and coastal communities.

In addition to side-stepping Congress, the Bush Administration proposal ignores advice from the Federal Government's own Government Accountability Office, and the U.S. Ocean Policy Commission with respect to the need for a comprehensive management framework to be developed before open ocean aquaculture moves forward in the U.S.
 
Instead, MMS has put forward a short-sighted and risky proposal which fails to have strong standards limiting aquaculture facilities' impacts from fish waste and fish feed effluent, use of fishmeal and fish oil, escapes, and disease, all of which can harm the marine environment and the fishing communities that rely on them. 
 
MMS is currently taking public comments and holding "workshops" for the Proposed Rule, and the related Draft Environment Assessment that outlines the Alternative Energy and Alternate Uses program.
 
1. Take Action: Send your comment to MMS today! Comments are due by Monday, September 8th.
 
2. You can attend a public workshop and ask questions of the MMS. Public Workshops on the Proposed Rule for Developing OCS Alternative Energy Resources, and Alternate Uses of Existing Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf. Click the "Tell Me More" link for the list of scheduled meetings. 

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

AD30 - Alternative Energy and Alternate Uses of Existing Facilities on the OCS.

I am writing in response to Docket No. MMS-2008-OMM-0012, the Alternative Energy and Alternate Uses of Existing Facilities on the OCS. I am strongly opposed to proposed rules in the AEAU that would allow existing and new energy facilities - such as oil rigs and wind farms - to be used as parent sites for the development of polluting, industrial scale open ocean aquaculture facilities.

Marine aquaculture could significantly harm the environment, human health, and the economies of local fishing communities. Offshore aquaculture in the United States could pose many of the same documented problems as large-scale net pen and cage aquaculture have created around the world, including, but not limited to pollution, escapement, and heavy use of wild fish in feed. In terms of pollution from aquaculture, fish feces and uneaten feed flow freely out of cages and into the environment. The escapement of salmon, halibut, and cod from ocean fish farms is another chronic problem. Furthermore, the species proposed for aquaculture in U.S. federal waters rely on high quantities of fishmeal and fish oil to meet their dietary needs. Finally, offshore aquaculture in the U.S. could cause negative socioeconomic impacts through environmental impacts and by competing with the existing seafood industry and communities.

Oil, gas or other energy facilities, whether currently in use or not, are not the appropriate location for offshore aquaculture operations. Had aquaculture facilities existed on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico during violent storms in recent years, there could have been massive releases of captive fish, feed, and other pollutants directly into ocean waters. Oil and gas rigs, or other energy facilities, active or decommissioned, should not be substituted for best available technology in open water aquaculture. MMS is not equipped to comprehensively manage a new industry, especially one Congress has thus far found to be a dubious endeavor.

There are currently two bills pending in Congress that would set up a permitting regime for offshore aquaculture. Congress has thus far rejected these federal bills, in part because they did not have strong environmental and socioeconomic standards to guide the NOAA's decision-making. Without a bill with strong environmental and socioeconomic protections, there should be no offshore aquaculture facilities in U.S. federal waters.MMS should not use this rulemaking to bypass Congress.

MMS should not finalize a program such as this one, which fails to have strong standards limiting aquaculture facilities' impacts from fish waste and fish feed effluent, use of fishmeal and fish oil, escapes, and disease, all of which can harm the marine environment and the fishing communities that rely on them.

Thank you for taking my concerns under consideration.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
August 14, 2008