Expansion of Industrial Fish Farms in the Gulf of Mexico

NOAA Fisheries has released a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) for the Identification of Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs) in U.S. Federal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico and has made the draft available for the public to review.  

NOAA identified four Preferred Alternatives, with three locations off the coast of Texas and one off the coast of Louisiana. These four Preferred Alternatives total 6,500 acres in size.

There is a 90-day public review and comment period which will conclude on Feb. 20, 2025. During this 90-day period, the public is invited to review the DPEIS and provide written comments, and may provide verbal comments at any of the three virtual public meetings that will be held on Dec. 17, 2024, Jan. 15, 2025 and Feb. 13, 2025. More information on when and how to submit comments can be found on the NOAA Fisheries Gulf of Mexico AOA PEIS website.

For any questions about the Notice of Availability, contact Andrew.Richard@noaa.gov.
 
The EPA previously issued a permit to Ocean Era, LLC to discharge industrial wastewater from a marine net-pen aquaculture facility located approximately 45 miles southwest of Sarasota, Florida. As expected, NOAA Fisheries is significantly expanding lease areas (6,500 acres) in the Gulf of Mexico for industrial fish farming. 
 
The DPEIS is one of the most significant reviews that the NOAA Fisheries can perform for the protection of the Gulf of Mexico’s water quality.  Because of the potential adverse impacts associated with open water pollution discharge permits, it is important to have an adequate review of the fish farming industry before additional areas are considered for permitting. It is far better to err on overprotecting the environment rather than the reverse. 
 
In order to properly understand the impact this industry is having on Gulf waters; all aspects of industrial fish farming need to be reviewed in an Industry-Wide Environmental Impact Study. ManaSota-88 is concerned that the scope of the current DPEIS is too narrow, lacking significant information regarding alternatives having less environmental impact than current alternatives being reviewed. The alternatives having the least environmental impact are not being considered as the “Preferred Alternatives”. 
 
The costs of pollution and impacts to natural resources, and the contamination of surface waters have never been computed. If the latter were accomplished, the negative economic impact of industrial fish farming would be apparent. 
 
The fishing industry cites the important advantages it brings in taxes and employment, yet the long-term beneficial effect of fish farming on our economy will be slight. 

Whatever taxes are realized will be small when compared to the costs of the damage the industry will create. 
 
Without adequate data, the environmental trade-offs and cost/risk analysis required prior to granting lease areas will result in the continued use of the present   "best guess management" policy. 
 
There is no evidence to indicate that mitigation measures exist to reduce the significant adverse environmental impacts associated with offshore fish farming. Not enough is known about the value and sensitivity of live bottom areas of the Gulf of Mexico to permit additional leasing of areas for the development of fish farms. 
 
NOAA is not using the best available science or developing conservation alternatives to protect ocean habitats in the Gulf of Mexico as required under federal law.  The purpose of the Magnuson-Stevens Act is: "to promote the protection of essential fish habitat in the review of projects conducted under Federal permits, licenses or other authorities that affect, or have the potential to affect such habitat." The DPEIS does not meet the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. 
 
Sustainable Gulf of Mexico fisheries have declined, recovery of threatened or endangered species is not occurring, and the health of marine and anadromous fish habitats continues to degrade. Pollution of water resources, degradation of important marine habitats, and habitat loss continue at an unacceptable rate in the Gulf Coast states.  
 
Unless additional alternatives are considered, ManaSota-88 recommends a “No Action Alternative” for future commercial aquaculture operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Glenn Compton is the Chairman of ManaSota 88, a non-profit organization that has spent over 30 years fighting to protect the environment of Manatee and Sarasota counties.