APPENDIX 



Prepared Statement of the Environmental Defense Fund 



The precipitous declines of stocks of wild fish worldwide from overfishing, water 

 pollution, and changes in fish habitat such as dam construction and filling oi coastal 

 wetlands are sharply increasing the economic incentives for aquaculture. From 

 1980-1990, United States aquaculture production grew approximately fourfold and 

 fish farming now accounts for 10-15 percent of United States fish and shellfish har- 

 vests. There is now considerable interest in helping the aquaculture industry, now 

 the fastest growing segment of the United States agricultural industry, continue or 

 even accelerate its current growth. The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) sup- 

 ports the continued development of the aquaculture industry. We strongly believe, 

 however, that environmental protection must be a key theme in this industry's de- 

 velopment, if aquaculture is to enjoy long term economic growth and continuing 

 public support. 



In this testimony we will first discuss EDF's vision for aquaculture. We will re- 

 view the environmental benefits and drawbacks of aquaculture and discuss the im- 

 portance of developing the aquaculture industry so that it is both environmentally 

 and economically sustainable. We will then discuss four areas in which authorizing 

 legislation concerning aquaculture could promote the development of an environ- 

 mentally and economically sustainable aquaculture industry. 



IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING A SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY 



The growth of the aquaculture industry could bring important environmental ben- 

 efits. By providing an alternative source of fish, aquaculture could help decrease 

 current unsustainable fishing pressures on wild populations. In addition, culture of 

 finfish, shellfish, and aquatic plants could provide an important, alternative source 

 of income for fishermen who have to leave the traditional fishing industry. For ex- 

 ample, overfishing of economically valuable fish species in New England has caused 

 fish populations to collapse, leaving many fishermen jobless and small fishing com- 

 munities devastated. Because of aquaculture's environmental and economic benefits, 

 the development of a New England aquaculture industry has been proposed by 

 NOAA and others as a key component of en"orts to aid New England fishing commu- 

 nities and to take fishing pressure off or restore depleted fish populations New Eng- 

 land waters. 



Culture of some aquatic organisms could even provide solutions to environmental 

 problems. Culture oi seaweed and filter-feeding shellfish, such as oysters, can help 

 cleanse water of excess nutrients. Other potentially promising applications of aqua- 

 culture include bioenergy production and integrated aquaculture systems which 

 have multiple product outputs. 



Aquaculture can also have considerable drawbacks, however, at least if aqua- 

 culture facilities are developed with little thought to environmental protection. 

 Ocean net pens, or other enclosures with large numbers of fish, may lead to signifi- 

 cant water pollution with fish feces and uneaten fish food. Over time, deposition of 

 these materials on bay bottoms can result in the release from bay sediments of 

 gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, which are toxic to fish. Similarly, ef- 

 nuent from freshwater ponds or raceways can pollute streams and rivers. 



Aquaculture can permanently alter the composition, of wild fish populations and 

 aquatic ecosystems. Fish routinely escape aquaculture facilities, which are notori- 

 ously 'leaky." Storm damage to net pens may result in the escape of millions offish. 

 Moreover, some aquaculture operations depend on "ranching" or augmenting stocks 

 of wild fish. 



Escape or intentional release of fish from aquaculture facilities can pose several 

 ecological concerns. First, escaped or released fish of nonnative species may estab- 

 lish wild populations, displacing native fish or otherwise narming aquatic 

 ecosystems. Second, large numbers of escaped or released fish of native species may 



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