EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 



World-wide aquaculture production is estimated to be as much as 21 

 billion pounds. Global production has increased significantly over 

 the past 15 years. Total U.S. production is now estimated to be 

 almost 400 million pounds, accounting for about 11 percent of the 

 total edible production of fish and shellfish in the U.S. This 

 figure represents a substantial increase in aquaculture production 

 since 1975, when it was estimated at about 130 million pounds. 



In September 1980, the National Aquaculture Act (P.L. 96-362) was 

 signed into law. The Act states that National policy is "to 

 encourage the development of aquaculture in the United States." 



It is important to note that much of the increased production 

 occurred prior to the passage of the National Aquaculture Act 

 because sufficient incentive and motivation in the private sector 

 existed for the aquaculture industry to expand. This expansion 

 occurred in a period of: 1) increasing per capita consumption of 

 fish and shellfish (10.3 pounds in 1960; 13.0 pounds in 1980); 2) a 

 general concensus that a limit to commercial fishing of traditional 

 species had been or shortly would be reached; and 3) increasing 

 negative annual trade deficits ($2.2 billion) in fish and fish 

 products . 



But it is equally important to note that considerable support by 

 various Federal and State agencies and academic institutions have 

 directly and indirectly assisted this industry for many years. 

 That support came from research and education programs in both 

 Federal laboratories and State college and university laboratories; 

 through extension education and technical assistance from Federal 

 and State workers in areas of aquaculture expansion; and from a 

 growing awareness and encouragement of industry activity by State 

 and Federal administrators and decision-makers. It is this last 

 point that was identified by the National Research Council (NRC , 

 1978, Aquaculture in the United States: Constraints and 

 Opportunities) when it observed that "Constraints on orderly 

 development of aquaculture tend to be political and administrative, 

 rather than scientific and technological." 



The JSA has noted that many impediments identified by the National 

 Research Council still persist. These include continued use of 

 wild animals that have not been genetically improved for culture, 

 poor understanding of nutrition and diets of culturable species, 

 continuing problems in preventing and controlling diseases, and 

 poor knowledge of water quality criteria in culture systems. 

 Coupled with a need for education, information, and technology 

 assistance efforts, and a need to understand markets and marketing 

 barriers for aquaculture, these constraints continue to present 

 obstacles to rapid and orderly expansion of aquaculture. 



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