NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Friday, May 23 on the preliminary results of a marine spatial planning study that identifies 97 draft Aquaculture Opportunity Area Options covering ~18,000 acres of Alaska state waters, including the conditions, feasibility, and historic or current activities in the identified areas. The draft Aquaculture Opportunity Area Options include up to 4,000 acres per study area for subtidal shellfish and seaweed aquaculture, and up to 100 acres per study areas for intertidal shellfish aquaculture.
In conjunction with the comment period, NFMS will hold virtual public listening sessions on Thursday, May 8 and Friday, May 16. NMFS notes that public feedback will be considered in the finalization of the marine spatial planning study, and that NMFS “may or may not identify Aquaculture Opportunity Areas after further public participation and review.”
NMFS is identifying Aquaculture Opportunity Areas pursuant to the May 2020 Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth, and the marine spatial planning study will be used as one source to assist NMFS in identifying Aquaculture Opportunity Area alternatives that may be evaluated in a draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and in the identification of Aquaculture Opportunity Areas.