NOAA is continuing to encourage U.S. aquaculture development through the identification of Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs). NOAA is working with its federal and state partners to develop a process to identify geographic areas containing locations suitable for commercial aquaculture and complete a programmatic National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis for each area to assess the impact of siting aquaculture facilities there.
The AOA process will result in the identification of geographic areas that, through scientific analysis and public engagement, are determined to be environmentally, socially, and economically suitable for multiple aquaculture farm sites of varying types. NOAA will combine input received through consultation and coordination with Federal and non-Federal stakeholders, public comments, and spatial modeling by NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) that is based on the best available science.
NOAA began the process to identify AOAs in Federal waters within the Gulf of Mexico and off Southern California in 2020 and within state waters of Alaska in 2023. NOAA will provide updates on our progress in these regions, including continued opportunities for stakeholder input into the process.