WHAT NOAA FISHERIES IS DOING TO MANAGE THE POTENTIAL RISKS OF AQUACULTURE ACTIVITIES ON PROTECTED RESOURCES

Marine aquaculture is a vital sector of the blue economy and further  development of this industry is a  strategic priority for the Department of Commerce and NOAA Fisheries . As aquaculture production grows, multiple efforts ar e underway across NOAA  Fisheries offices and science centers to address the potential risks of protected resources interactions with aquaculture gear. We aim to develop consistent  regulatory approaches to promote aquaculture that conserves protected resources .

This talk will provide context on what NOAA Fisheries is doing to assess, manage, and minimize potential risks to marine protected resources by:

•  Describing  the regulatory nexus for the management of  species  and critical habitat  protected under the  Endangered Species Act and  Marine Mammal Protection Act
•  Illustrating how we analyze risk in our ESA section 7 consultations
•  Highlighting research priorities to further support this topic

Publicizing the mutually beneficial outcome preferred by NOAA Fisheries will also help inform other stakeholders in their efforts to research and develop tools to advance our collective understanding about how to maximize aquaculture production while minimizing potential risks from aquaculture operations.