o Encourage professional certification and training programs 

 with States to increase the availability of fish and 

 shellfish disease diagnostic services in areas of need 



o Assist States in identifying promising nonindigenous 



aquaculture species and encourage studies relative to any 

 potential impacts of accidental release into the 

 environment 



o Monitor the effectiveness of the above actions on reducing 

 burdensome regulations, continue to assess and to define 

 regulatory constraints, and make public the results of this 

 continuing effort through periodic reports 



Planned Program Activities 



In view of the numerous and complex impediments to commercial and 

 recreational aquaculture identified in Chapter 3, the JSA 

 recognizes the following areas where actions are needed. These 

 actions are, in general, continuations or extensions of on-going 

 activities . 



Assessment of Current Status 



Statistical surveys describing the status of aquaculture in the 

 United States, including such factors as production, value, 

 employment and acreage, should be conducted frequently enough to be 

 of value to aquaculturists . 



Scientific and Technical Knowledge 



Research and development efforts would be directed toward solution 

 of problems inhibiting the full development of those species or 

 strains now produced for commercial and recreational use or with 

 the greatest potential for future utilization. However, some 

 exploratory and developmental research would be included to assure 

 that other species-types are evaluated to determine their 

 potential . 



Life history 



Research would be conducted to improve understanding of important 

 species for aquaculture application. An understanding of basic 

 biological aspects of organisms is necessary to make their culture 

 feasible, including such factors as life cycle, behavior, 

 smoltif ication, and the causes of variability in growth rate. 



Genetics and reproduction 



It is important to understand the production of quality gametes and 

 the basic genetic characteristics of species of interest to 

 determine which may be improved for culture systems and how 



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