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aquaculture supports marine species, and this includes salmon, 

 marine shellfish, hybrid striped bass, even ornamental fish, some 

 of which, as you know in your State of Hawaii, are important com- 

 ponents of aquaculture. 



These programs are supported through the Cooperative State Re- 

 search Service and the Agricultural Research Service, and we are 

 also committed in the Extension Service to providing educational 

 programs in support of aquaculture. 



One of the major programs in the Department of Agriculture is 

 the Regional Aquaculture Centers. The centers, which are driven 

 by the needs of the industry as articulated bv industry advisory 

 councils in each of the five centers, do provide broad a range of re- 

 search programs in support of the industry. And the Regional 

 Aquaculture Center Program is designed to bring together the best 

 science and educational facilities and personnel in the region. 



So if you look at these programs, you will see in many cases that 

 we have laboratories and personnel from the National Marine Fish- 

 eries Service, from the Seagrant College Program, and also from 

 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that are actively contributing to 

 the projects on behalf of the aquaculture industry. 



Senator Akaka. I am eager to learn of any efforts the adminis- 

 tration is considering to support aquaculture development and com- 

 mercialization. 



In the past, various agencies within USDA have been unable to 

 agree on how best to serve the aquaculture industry. At least seven 

 offices and agencies in USDA provide aquaculture assistance. Yet 

 they rarely speak with one voice. 



Some legislative initiatives have even backed by one agency and 

 opposed by another, both within USDA. It is clear that leadership 

 from the Secretary's Office is vital to any comprehensive aqua- 

 culture strategy. 



Dr. Parker, under the Clinton administration, will there be more 

 of a unified front for aquaculture, do you think? 



Dr. Parker. I think that this issue was certainly an issue of real 

 concern in previous administrations. I do believe that this adminis- 

 tration and this Secretary of Agriculture is committed to a unified 

 Department program. 



Secretary Espy is on record as stating his commitment to strong 

 Department leadership of collaborative interagency programs to 

 support the developing industry. And I think that with the develop- 

 ment of a strategic plan in the Department that brings the dif- 

 ferent agencies together through a coordinated fashion and hope- 

 fully by the acceptance, throughout the Department's programs, of 

 aquaculture as a viable component of U.S. agriculture, that we can 

 accomplish this. 



Senator Akaka. Thank you. 



Let me direct some questions to Mr. Robinson. Credit availability 

 is a challenge for any industry. I have heard many times that cred- 

 it represents an even greater challenge to fish farmers. 



A number of members of the House and Senate asked GAO to 

 investigate whether or not credit availability was a hindrance to 

 the aquaculture industry. We also asked GAO to examine whether 

 or not aquaculture is receiving commensurate attention from 

 USDA compared to other farm industries. 



