Contact:
Marianne Cufone (813) 881-0150
Erin Greenfield (202) 683-2500

Government Report Confirms Offshore Aquaculture Not Ready for Primetime

Food & Water Watch Applauds Congressman Rahall for Statements that GAO Report Shows Offshore Aquaculture Poses Threats

Washington, DC – On May 9th, Representative Nick Rahall (D-WV), chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee, re-confirmed what consumer group Food & Water Watch and others have been advocating for years - that more research is needed on the potential environmental and socio-economic threats associated with fish farming. His statement came in response to a report released by the Government Accountability Office on offshore aquaculture, the growing of fish in large cages in open ocean waters. Last February, Chairman Rahall asked the GAO to do a study on offshore aquaculture, citing the need for clear regulatory framework for the industry that should consider ecological and economic sustainability.

“We have regularly expressed concerns about the long term implications of ocean fish farming, in particular with respect to consumer health, harm to ocean resources and negative economic impacts to coastal communities and fishermen,” stated Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. “The GAO report reaffirms our position that offshore aquaculture is not ready for primetime.”

In a press release from Rahall’s office, the congressman emphasizes the need to consider the “viability of the fishing industry” and the “health of our oceans” in the development of offshore aquaculture. Food & Water Watch addresses these issues in their report, Fishy Farms, The Problems with Open Ocean Aquaculture that examines four fish farms in Hawaii, New Hampshire, and Puerto Rico, each with assorted problems and most unable to operate without tax-payer funded grants.

“So far, the industry has failed to demonstrate that the practice is environmentally sustainable, financially viable, or technically possible on a meaningful commercial scale.” Hauter said. “This industry will likely cause more problems than it proposes to solve.”

The GAO report notes that there are a number of "important environmental safeguards that need to be carefully considered to help regulate the offshore aquaculture industry," including "a regulatory process to review, monitor, and mitigate the potential environmental impacts of offshore aquaculture facilities.”

“We applaud Congressman Rahall for his initiative in requesting the GAO study. More research is still needed before the government moves forward with any offshore aquaculture legislation,” concludes Hauter. “Any proposed legislation must have safeguards to deal with the potential risks to the marine environment, fishing communities and consumers.”

The report, "Multiple Administrative and Environmental Issues Need to be Addressed in Establishing a U.S. Regulatory Framework", can be viewed on GAO's website at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08594.pdf.
 
Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer rights organization based in Washington, D.C. that challenges the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources. Visit www.foodandwaterwatch.org.