Offshore aquaculture for finfish, seaweed and shellfish holds great potential to bolster U.S. domestic aquaculture , domestic seafood supply chains and economies in coastal communities. The ability to find suitable sites for offshore aquaculture, however, remains a significant challenge for anyone looking to start an offshore enterprise. With the goal of providing baseline information for those interested in offshore aquaculture, t he Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Division of Aquaculture partnered with the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Coastal Aquaculture Siting and Sustainability Program to perform a marine spatial planning exercise for offshore aquaculture in Florida state waters. The siting analysis was performed for the Florida Gulf coast from Pensacola to Tampa Bay using 41 discrete spatial data layers categorized as n ational security, natural and cultural resources, industry and navigation and fishing and aquaculture. The analysis revealed 54,906 total acres (222.2 km2) across four geographically distinct planning areas that could potentially be suitable for offshore aquaculture ( Table 1) . This analysis presents a “first look” at potential options for siting offshore aquaculture along the Florida Gulf coast in the future. The methods and major results of the siting analysis, potential next steps and remaining hurdles that exist for permitting offshore aquaculture in Florida will be discussed.