23 



prehensive USDA policy to bring aquaculture into the mainstream 

 of agriculture. Aquaculture farmers should receive access to the full 

 range of USDA farm programs. 



Is this a concept that the Department can support? Dr. Parker? 



Dr. Parker. Senator Akaka, yes, I believe this is very much a 

 concept that the Department would support. 



A committee of aquaculture specialists from the science and edu- 

 cation agriculture agencies has developed a draft of a strategic plan 

 for the Department of Agriculture in the area of aquaculture that 

 would accomplish that very objective, to mainstream aquaculture 

 into the Department's programs, to create a Department-wide inte- 

 grated program that brings together in a teamwork fashion the dif- 

 ferent programs and agencies in the Department. 



That strategic plan has been presented to the higher levels of the 

 Department's administration. It has been signed off by the Assist- 

 ant Secretary for Science and Education, and we are committed to 

 working with the agencies and the Department to realize that. 



Senator Akaka. The Clinton administration has recognized aqua- 

 culture's vast potential for growth by formulating policies which 

 allow aquaculture to achieve its potential. How will this policy for- 

 mulation go forward? 



Dr. Parker. I am speaking from my own opinion. Senator Akaka, 

 but I believe that aquaculture has something for a number of dif- 

 ferent agencies within the Clinton administration. Certainly aqua- 

 culture's potential to improve the job prospects for rural Ameri- 

 cans, as well as Americans who do not live in rural areas, aqua- 

 culture's potential to enhance and at least preserve environmental 

 quality and to provide alternative opportunities for farmers and 

 other rural Americans, these are all concepts that are important 

 not just for the Department of Agriculture, but certainly for the De- 

 partment of Commerce, the Department of Interior, the Environ- 

 mental Protection Agency. 



I believe that we have a mechanism, the Joint Subcommittee on 

 Aquaculture, which is permanently chaired by the Secretary of Ag- 

 riculture, but with a cooperative program with these other agen- 

 cies, to come to a broadbased administration position on how the 

 different agencies in the Federal Government can work together to 

 promote the development of this industry. So I think the Joint Sub- 

 committee on Aquaculture is the best mechanism for accomplishing 

 this. 



Senator Akaka. The Federal effort to promote aquaculture is 

 spread among many departments, as you have indicated, and also 

 agencies. 



In Fiscal Year 1993, however, USDA funding represented 77 per- 

 cent of direct Federal support for aquaculture. I have heard argu- 

 ments that USDA supports only warm-water aquaculture and not 

 mariculture. These criticisms must be answered. 



The question is: What is the Department of Agriculture doing to 

 support the development of the marine aquaculture industry, and 

 how do those efforts complement other Federal efforts, most nota- 

 bly the $4 million supplied by Seagrant and NOAA? 



Dr. Parker. In a review of the Department of Agriculture pro- 

 grams. Senator Akaka, in the research area, we estimate that be- 

 tween 40 and 50 percent of the research funding in support of 



