National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Aquaculture Policy

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Aquaculture Policy is a national sectoral policy of the United States of America. Its main objective is to enable the development of sustainable marine aquaculture within the context of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) multiple stewardship missions and broader social and economic goals.
It is the policy of NOAA, within the context of its marine stewardship missions and its strategic goals with respect to healthy oceans and resilient coastal communities and economies, to: (1) Encourage and foster sustainable aquaculture development that provides domestic jobs, products, and services and that is in harmony with healthy, productive, and resilient marine ecosystems, compatible with other uses of the marine environment, and consistent with the National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, our Coasts, and the Great Lakes (National Ocean Policy); (2) ensure agency aquaculture decisions protect wild species and healthy, productive, and resilient coastal and ocean ecosystems, including the protecting of sensitive marine areas; (3) advance scientific knowledge concerning sustainable aquaculture in cooperation with academic and federal partners; (4) make timely and unbiased aquaculture management decisions based upon the best scientific information available; (5) support aquaculture innovation and investments that benefit the Nation’s coastal ecosystems, communities, seafood consumers, industry, and economy; (6) advance public understanding of sustainable aquaculture practices; the associated environmental, social, and economic challenges and benefits; and the services NOAA has to offer in support of sustainable aquaculture; (7) work with our federal partners, through the Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture4 and other avenues, to provide the depth of resources and expertise needed to address the challenges facing expansion of aquaculture in the United States; (8) work internationally to learn from aquaculture best practices around the world and encourage the adoption of science-based sustainable practices and systems; and (9) integrate federal, regional, state, local, and tribal priorities along with commercial priorities into marine aquaculture siting and management and ensure aquaculture development is considered within other existing and potential marine uses to reduce potential conflicts.