Page 12 - FAO Aquaculture News, May 2021 - No. 63

NOAA Develops Aquaculture Opportunity Areas with

Insights from FAO and the International Community

ccording to FAO, the availability of FIGURE 1
Aspace is one of the key constraints
for aquaculture expansion to meet future
demand for seafood. For the promotion
of sustainable aquaculture in the coming
decades, it is imperative to apply effective,
integrated spatial planning at both
the national and regional levels. This
planning facilitates the identification
and management of environmentally Global Aquaculture Updates
and socially compatible areas for the
sustainable growth of aquaculture.
Additionally, a sound, legal regulatory
framework enables effective planning,
development and management of
aquaculture. The framework should ensure
that rights, including tenure rights, are
secured and that roles and responsibilities
of all stakeholders are clearly defined to
minimize potential impacts.

The growth of marine aquaculture in the
United States of America is a national
priority, and this increase in seafood
production is critical to the health of
people, the health of the planet, and the
health of the economy. The identification
of Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs)
is one path towards this goal through ©FAO/C. Sandoval, NOAA Fisheries
proactively finding the appropriate space
for the sector to develop. AOAs will be
distinct geographic areas that have been
evaluated for their potential to support
multiple sustainable commercial aquaculture farm sites management knowledge by hosting an Aquaculture Zonal
of varying types, including finfish, shellfish and seaweed Management Symposium on 14 September 2020.
(Figure 1).
Building on the experience from representatives from
As the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric FAO, Australia, Chile and the Republic of Korea, the
Administration (NOAA) works with partners and symposium covered a wide range of topics and country-
stakeholders to identify and develop AOAs, it recently drew level experiences related to zonal management of
upon FAO and the international community’s aquaculture aquaculture. Dr José Aguilar-Manjarrez (FAO), Dr Heidi
Alleway (University of Adelaide, Australia), Mr Adolfo
Alvial (Senior International Consultant in Aquaculture,
Written by: Chile), and Dr Hyung Chul Kim (National Institute of
Danielle Blacklock Fisheries Science, Republic of Korea) provided global
E-mail: Danielle.Blacklock@noaa.gov and country-level insights into the history of aquaculture
Seth Theuerkauf zone development, policy and technical approaches,
E-mail: Seth.Theuerkauf@noaa.gov science needs and resources, as well as successes and
NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture, United States of lessons learned. The symposium drew participation from
America
across the United States federal government, including
José Aguilar-Manjarrez 38 participants involved in varying aspects of aquaculture
E-mail: Jose.AguilarManjarrez@fao.org policy and research across the NOAA, the Environmental
FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, Protection Agency, the State Department, the Food and
Santiago, Chile
Drug Administration, and the Department of Agriculture.

FAO AQUACULTURE NEWS – Nº. 63 ■ MAY 2021 11