38 



particular, will be the catalyst for a significant increase in interest by the Senate 

 Agriculture Committee in aquaculture. 



The aquaculture industry in the United States is diverse and growing rapidly. 

 With production increasing five-fold during the 1980s, aquaculture is now the fast- 

 est growing sector of American agriculture. Farm gate receipts now exceed $800 mil- 

 lion yearly. This creates an economic impact of over $8 billion with nearly 300,000 

 aquaculture -related jobs. 



Demand for seafood is rising steadily. Per capita consumption in the United 

 States grew 20 percent a year in the 1980s. Doubling of domestic consumption is 

 projected by the year 2020. Will this demand be met by domestic production or im- 

 ports? Domestic production now supplies less than 15 percent of our seafood. Almost 

 60 percent of our fish is imported. America's annual trade deficit in fisheries prod- 

 ucts has been $4.5 billion to $7 billion since 1987. This trade imbalance is the larg- 

 est of any agricultural commodity and second only to petroleum among natural 

 products. 



The nutritional benefits of seafood are well known and are contributing to aqua- 

 culture's growth. 



Aquaculture can be an integral component of economic development plans while 

 preserving environmental quality. Commercial success of an operation requires 

 clean water supplies and maintenance of superior water quality. Aquaculture can 

 also convert nonproductive land areas into economic and recreational assets. An ex- 

 ample is the reclamation of abandoned mine pits. 



AFBF not only supports S. 1288 for the aforementioned reasons but also be- 

 cause it: 



• Declares a national aquaculture policy. A coordinated and supportive Federal 

 policy can help overcome constraints to aquaculture development in the United 

 States. 



• Establishes aquaculture as a form of agriculture. Aquaculture has developed as 

 a solid alternative agricultural opportunity and has allowed traditional farmers to 

 diversify. The development of modern aquaculture can be compared with the much 

 earlier changes in livestock production, away from the hunting of wild animals and 

 toward the animal husbandry that exists today. Aquaculture development programs 

 will benefit by being considered in the context ol" total farm profitability and by 

 being integrated with traditional agriculture. 



• Establishes the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as the lead Federal 

 agency. USDA has been designated by Congress as the lead agency for the coordina- 

 tion of aquacultural activities at the Federal level. Despite this mandate, however, 

 USDA has not exercised effective control. Within the Department, aquaculture ac- 

 tivities occur in 14 different agencies. Outside the Department, aquaculture activi- 

 ties are found in the Department of Commerce (Sea Grant and National Marine 

 Fisheries Service) and the Department of the Interior (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv- 

 ice). By reaffirming USDA's leadership role in aquaculture, the development of the 

 aquaculture industry will be enhanced. 



The bill's focus on commercialization of research is important, too. AFBF supports 

 effective research that has an immediate positive economic impact, but it should not 

 be forgotten that the need for basic research is essential since it is really the basis 

 for applied research. 



Disaster assistance for aquaculture is appropriate. It is important that the struc- 

 ture of the program be based on realistic assumptions about possible monetary 

 losses. Next year USDA will likely offer a crop insurance disaster program and 

 aquaculture should be a part of that program. 



The American Farm Bureau Federation supports the passage of S. 1288. 



Washington Fish Growers Association 



Senator Leahy and members of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 

 Committee: My name is James R. Zimmerman, I am Director of Fhiblic Relations 

 for Troutlodge, Inc. with offices in Sumner, Washington. I am here representing the 

 Washington Fish Growers Association (WFGA) with 60 members in the Evergreen 

 State of Washington active in the farming and support of the production of trout 

 and salmon. Total production of trout, salmon and eggs is nearing an annual value 

 of $30 million. I am also representing my parent company, Troutlodge, Inc., the 

 worlds largest producer and supplier of live eyed rainbow trout eggs; shipping over 

 250 million eggs into 25 foreign countries and up to 30 States of the Union. I will 

 also be submitting testimony lor the record on behalf of the American Farm Bureau 



