Contact:
Marianne Cufone, 813-785-8386, Marianne@environmentmatters.net
George Kimbrell, Center for Food Safety, 202-547-9359, GKimbrell@icta.org
Key West, Florida, June 14, 2007 - A coalition of groups including the Center for Food Safety and Oceana and Food and Water Watch today applauded the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council's new policy regarding growing fish in open ocean waters. Known as offshore or open water aquaculture - the "farming" of fish, like with chickens and cows, can be accompanied by serious problems. The Council's new policy is aimed at preventing ecological damage from open water aquaculture.
"The South Atlantic Council took a proactive approach to regulating open water aquaculture in our region today," said Marianne Cufone of Environment Matters. She is a Florida environmental lawyer working with a network of groups on aquaculture matters nationwide. "The policy should help protect the amazing natural resources we have here, and the people and other wildlife that rely on them."
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is an advisory body to the National Marine Fisheries Service, the primary federal agency tasked with conserving and managing our U.S. fish resources. The Council members are mainly representatives of commercial and recreational fishing and the various states in the region. Several staff from other government entities also participate.
One of the main points the Council addressed was recommending non-native and genetically modified species not be used for open water aquaculture in South Atlantic federal waters - areas from 3 miles out to 200 miles off the east coast of Florida, Georgia, South and North Carolina.
"Stating that only native and non-engineered fish should be used in open water fish culture is one of the most important issues the Council could address", said George Kimbrell of the Center for Food Safety. He explained "Fish will always escape from net pens due to a myriad of factors including severe weather, predator damage to nets, faulty equipment, human error and more. When escaped fish are different than local wild fish, they can change ecosystems and damage natural fish populations permanently. The new policy promoting only local and unaltered fish is an excellent way to prevent this."
Another big issue the Council directly addressed was protecting habitat areas like corals from any potential damage from open water aquaculture.
David Allison of Oceana was also pleased by the contents of the new Policy. He said "The Council's Policy expressly states it is meant to protect essential fish habitat and areas of particular concern, including deepwater corals. These are special places in our marine environment crucial to a healthy functioning ecosystem."
Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food and Water Watch, agreed with Cufone, Kimbrell and Allison on this, adding, "The Council's forward-thinking approach will enable seafood consumers from the region to be confident they are receiving products that are not harming the environment."
The groups look forward to working closely with the Council in implementing their new Policy.
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