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Senator Akaka. I think this next question is veiy clear. But let 

 me ask you: Do you agree, as industry people, that this bill help 

 promote the aquaculture industry in the United States? 



Mr. McCraren. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Warren. Absolutely. 



Senator Akaka. The U.S. currently imports 60 percent of its fish 

 and shellfish, resulting in a $3.3 billion annual trade deficit for 

 seafood. Clearly there is potential to expand aquaculture produc- 

 tion and increase U.S. market share. 



Aquaculture is a diverse industry that affects all regions of the 

 country. More than 30 States produce at least two dozen commer- 

 cially important aquaculture species. And you can either agree or 

 correct that. 



My question is: How many States and cultured species are rep- 

 resented by your industry board, and is there a consensus among 

 the various producers that the time has come to develop new U.S. 

 and overseas markets? 



Mr. McCraren. 



Mr. McCraren. Since we spoke this morning, we were talking, 

 in turn — we were trying to come up with a collective good guess as 

 to how many species. 



Dr. Althea Langston is here today from USDA, APHIS, and was 

 showing me a report relative to the European Community, and 

 would you believe that they had listed. Senator, all these various 

 species being raised in the United States today, and I am happy 

 to report that amounts to 119 species, not including hybrids and, 

 of course, the ornamental industry. 



So we were not incorrect, I guess, at least this morning when we 

 said there were a bunch of them. So in any case, we have got a 

 lot better handle on that figure at this time. 



NAA represents 33 associations. To give you a bit of a feeling for 

 diversity, most of these are State organizations, but, too, a number 

 of them are what we label species-type organizations, such as the 

 U.S. Trout Farmers Association, the Tilapia Association, the 

 Striped Bass — Hybrid Striped Bass Association and the like, obvi- 

 ously a very diverse, broadbased, most interesting industry. 



In terms of markets and the like, we are seeing right now cer- 

 tainly in the catfish industry — I cannot speak for Hugh, but I am 

 more familiar with what is happening in the trout industry — but 

 certainly there is increased awareness on the part of, I think, pro- 

 ducers in terms of what the consumer wants, in terms of our re- 

 sponsibility to the consumer. 



We are seeing the development of generic marketing programs 

 here domestically, ever increasing. And in terms of overseas mar- 

 kets, I would say, yes, definitely an interest there. 



I met not long ago with the Foreign Agriculture Service on behalf 

 of the trout industry to explore the possibility of the trout industry 

 participating in their program. The sad fact there, however, is that 

 they are looking at some very significant cuts, and obviously we 

 would hope that it not occur to the degree that they shared with 

 me. 



That would cover my remarks, I guess. 



Senator Akaka. Any other comments? Mr. Warren? 



