As emphasis on increasing aquaculture production in the U.S. continues, it is necessary to ensure that sustainability is at the core of all efforts. Sustainable aquaculture development includes both human and environmental needs that can make planning challenging to navigate. Development is especially complex in marine ecosystems with diverse, interested parties who have varying degrees of overlapping spatial needs. The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Sciences (NCCOS) have developed resources for aquaculture farm siting and development that begin to address the complex needs of interested parties utilizing coastal-ocean spaces. The key to successful usage and continual development of the NCCOS planning resources is a science-based, community-led approach, which will ideally result in the identification of optimal locations for aquaculture development. Because many local groups overlap with aquaculture areas in coastal-ocean environments, it is important to deliberately connect and build capacity among users through conversations centered around aquaculture tools to improve sustainable aquaculture development.
Aiming to build capacity between the Sea Grant Network, NCCOS, and other coastal-ocean groups involved with aquaculture development, we are hosting six collaborative, regionally tailored workshops across the nation over the course of four years: beginning with the Mid-Atlantic (Fall 2022), Gulf of Mexico (Winter 2023), California (Fall 2023), Pacific Northwest (Summer 2024), Pacific Islands (Early Winter 2025), and New England (Spring 2025). Through this project we aim to 1) extend the engagement of NCCOS aquaculture planning resources, 2) increase connections and collaborations with diverse interested parties, and 3) advance aquaculture siting conversations more broadly with summary pathway reports citing key themes and findings after the conclusion of each workshop. After the first three workshops in the Mid-Atlantic (Fall 2022), Gulf of Mexico (Winter 2023), and California (Fall 2023), we have begun to identify differences with respect to aquaculture siting tool use and perspectives among the regions and various interested groups. Prior workshop findings will partially inform the framework of the remaining three workshops and final pathway report.