30 



Mr. Warren. Well, the USDA Reporting Service recognizes 17 

 States with significant production to warrant a reporting and re- 

 cording. 



And here again, I will admit these are farmers, and farmers tra- 

 ditionally diversify. So I feel sure any time any other species comes 

 in that has a higher rate of gain or a better dress-out percentage 

 or whatever is market-driven or gives the consumer a product that 

 they are demanding, then certainly there is this to be expected, 

 that that diversity will come into play. 



Senator Akaka. I have received several comments from industry 

 and even State legislators supporting S. 1288. Unanimously the 

 comments support defining aquaculture products as "agricultural 

 commodities." 



Many of the comments also stress the importance of aquatic ani- 

 mal and plant health. However, comments express concerns about 

 the definition of "private aquaculture" and contractual interaction 

 with Government agencies. 



Some of your testimonies highlighted this concern. My question 

 to the industry is: Does the industry support amending the defini- 

 tion proposed in S. 1288 by removing the limitation in the current 

 bill language to allow contractual agreements between private 

 aquaculturalists and Government agencies? 



Mr. McCraren. Yes. 



Mr. Martin. Yes. 



Mr. Warren. Yes. 



Senator Akaka. You all seem to agree with that. Good. 



Well, we needed this for the record, too, and so that we can pro- 

 ceed. 



I want to again thank all of you for being here this afternoon and 

 to offer your testimonies. There is not question that what you have 

 said today will fiirther help us in our cause to finally pass this bill 

 and to pass it in such a way that it will help the industry. 



What has been mentioned here makes it clear that this is a posi- 

 tive bill, as you have indicated. This is a bill that is a catalyst. It 

 is bring departments together, bringing agencies together. It is es- 

 tablishing a roadmap for a huge new industry. And when we look 

 at what our present industry can produce, we can hardly meet the 

 demands of the consumers in this country. 



And so we — I think I heard today, it was said that we import 

 about 60 percent of the seafood commodities into our country to 

 meet the demands. So there you are. That is a potential of the 

 aquaculture industry. 



And my hope is that this national policy and this bill will cer- 

 tainly bring all of these things about and create all the good things 

 that we've mentioned today. 



And, of course, the bottom line here is that we will be able to 

 service the people of our country with good food and good protein 

 that is going to be needed in the next century. 



And again, I want to thank the administrative people for your ef- 

 forts here and what you are doing, and I am pleased to hear some 

 of the coordinations that are coming about in this effort to put this 

 bill together and to pass it. 



