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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shelley Dawicki
(508) 289-2270 or 3340
sdawicki@whoi.edu or media@whoi.edu
June 22, 2005
Media Relations Office
Fenno House MS #40
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Marine Task Force to Develop National Standards for Ocean Aquaculture Announced
Additional Contact:
Justin Kenney
The Pew Charitable Trusts
215-575-4816, jkenney@pewtrusts.org
(Washington, D.C.) The Pew Charitable Trusts, in collaboration with the
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), announces the
establishment of the Marine Aquaculture Task Force—comprising leaders
from the worlds of science, industry, conservation and government—to
develop national aquaculture standards to guide future development of
our oceans. To address aquaculture’s risks and benefits, the members of
the Marine Aquaculture Task Force will be guided by the principle that
marine aquaculture must be conducted in a way that does not harm fish
and wildlife and the ecosystems on which they depend. The Task Force is
made possible through the generous support of the Lenfest Foundation
and The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Aquaculture is the farming of fish and shellfish and accounts for
one-third of
seafood consumed in the world today. The industry is growing
rapidly as wild fish stocks decline and consumer demand for seafood
continues to
rise. The U.S. Department of Commerce has called for a fivefold
increase in domestic aquaculture production by 2025. Although most
aquaculture in the U.S. is currently inland or near the shore, much of
the growth in aquaculture is expected to come from fish and shellfish
farms in ocean waters. To facilitate this growth, the Commerce
Department recently sent legislation to Congress that would greatly
expand aquaculture
in federal waters extending from three to 200 miles offshore.
Despite aquaculture’s promise to supply seafood, generate jobs and
reduce fishing pressure on wild species, there are significant
environmental and socio-economic concerns associated with its
development.
“This task force comes at the perfect time,” said Rear Adm. (ret.)
Richard F. Pittenger, chair of the task force. “Two major ocean
commissions have recommended ecologically sustainable marine
aquaculture, and the Bush Administration and Congress are in the early
stages of contemplating how this should be done.” Admiral Pittenger
recently retired as Vice President for Marine Operations at WHOI and is
a former Oceanographer of the Navy.
“Opening up our oceans to aquaculture holds great promise and great
risk. If we proceed carefully and thoughtfully, we can produce great
benefits to the nation,” Admiral Pittenger added. “If we proceed
recklessly, we could add to the injuries we have already inflicted on
the oceans. I look forward to working with all interested parties to
make sure that if the United States promotes aquaculture, we do it
right.”
Bill Dewey, Public Affairs Manager for Washington State’s Taylor
Shellfish Company, one of the largest producers of farmed shellfish in
the United States, is also a member of the panel. “We’ve been farming
shellfish for five generations in Washington. Over those years
we’ve learned a lot about what it takes to be sustainable. First
and foremost is maintaining the health of the ecosystem in which we
work. As we look toward the future of marine aquaculture in the United
States, the bottom line is that we need to ensure that we produce a
healthy product that is also good for the oceans,” said Dewey.
“For the first time in human history, technology and economic
incentives are aligned to bring large-scale agriculture into the
oceans,” said Chris Mann, executive director of the Marine Aquaculture
Task Force. “Before plunging in, we should consider very carefully the
effect it will have on marine ecosystems and the people and communities
who depend on them. That’s exactly what the Task Force intends to do.”
The Marine Aquaculture Task Force will host and participate in a range
of scientific and policy-making forums; engage leaders from government,
industry, science, and the environmental community; and publish a
report recommending national standards for sustainable aquaculture. The
task force will complete its work in 18 months, and its members include:
Rear Adm. (ret.) Richard F. Pittenger, Chair
Former Vice President for Marine Operations
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Bruce Anderson, Ph.D.
President, Oceanic Institute
Waimanalo, Hawaii
Daniel Benetti, Ph.D.
Director, Aquaculture Program
University of Miami
Miami, Florida
Paul Dayton, Ph.D.
Professor of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
San Diego, California
Bill Dewey
Taylor Shellfish Co., Inc.
Shelton, Washington
Rebecca Goldburg, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Environmental Defense
New York, New York
Alison Rieser
Professor of Law
University of Maine School of Law
Portland, Maine
Byron Sher
Former State Senator
Saratoga, California
Arliss Sturgulewski
Former State Senator
Anchorage, Alaska
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 70
percent of the seafood Americans consume is imported, and at least 40
percent is farm raised. In 2002, the United States ranked 10th in
worldwide aquaculture production, accounting for just over one percent
of the global market. On June 7, 2005, the Bush administration
submitted to Congress for consideration and action The National
Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2005, which would give the Secretary of
Commerce authority to permit offshore aquaculture in federal ocean
waters, also known as the United States Exclusive Economic Zone.
The Pew Charitable Trusts (www.pewtrusts.org) serves the public
interest by providing information, advancing policy solutions and
supporting civic life. Based in Philadelphia, with an office in
Washington, D.C., the Trusts will invest $177 million in fiscal year
2005 to provide organizations and citizens with fact-based research and
practical solutions for challenging issues. The overarching mission of
the Trusts' environmental work is to improve the quality of the
environment by strengthening the scope and effectiveness of
environmental laws and policies, primarily at the federal level of
government. The report of the Pew Oceans Commission, released in 2003,
was the first comprehensive assessment in over three decades of the
state of America's oceans.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is a private, independent
marine research and engineering and higher education organization
located in Falmouth, Mass. Its primary mission is to understand the
oceans and their interaction with the Earth as a whole, and to
communicate a basic understanding of the ocean's role in the changing
global environment. Established in 1930 on a recommendation from the
National Academy of Sciences, the Institution operates the U.S.
National Deep Submergence Facility that includes the deep-diving
submersible Alvin, a fleet of global ranging ships and smaller coastal
vessels, and a variety of other tethered and autonomous underwater
vehicles. WHOI is organized into five departments, interdisciplinary
institutes and a marine policy center, and conducts a joint graduate
education program with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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