NOAA Marine Aquaculture Strategic Plan FY 2016-2020

The NOAA Marine Aquaculture Strategic Plan FY 2016-2020 is a national sectoral plan of the United States of America. Its main objective is to provide science, services, and policies to support the significant expansion and sustainability of U.S. marine aquaculture.
The Plan aims to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable. To this end, it is planning to recover and conserve protected resources through the use of sound natural and social sciences; to encourage environmentally responsible marine aquaculture using best available science; to advance the understanding of the interactions of aquaculture and the environment; to employ genetics to protect natural populations; and to counter disease in aquatic organisms and improve biosecurity.
To enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, the Plan seeks to ensure the productivity and sustainability of fisheries (including aquaculture) and fishing communities through science based decision-making and compliance with regulations; to expand sustainable U.S. marine aquaculture production by volume by at least 50 percent by the year 2020; to develop coordinated, consistent, and efficient regulatory processes for the marine aquaculture sector; to develop technologies and provide extension services for the marine aquaculture sector; to improve public understanding of marine aquaculture; to create a skilled workforce and enhance technology transfer; to improve production efficiency and well-being; to employ genetics to increase productivity; to improve nutrition and develop feeds; to improve performance of production systems; and to develop and use socioeconomic and business research to advance domestic aquaculture.