WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Senate Commerce Committee Co-Chairmen Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) today introduced S. 1195, the National Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2005. The Bush Administration developed the Act to provide the regulatory framework for the development of aquaculture in the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The National Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2005 responds to the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy’s recommendations for NOAA to develop a comprehensive, environmentally sound permitting and regulatory program for offshore aquaculture, and fulfills the Administration’s commitment, in the U.S. Ocean Action Plan, to propose national offshore aquaculture legislation in the 109th Congress. It is expected the National Offshore Aquaculture Act of 2005 will be referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, where the Chairman and Co-Chairman of the Committee will be able to work out the particulars of the final bill.

Along with the bill, Senator Stevens introduced an amendment to allow coastal states to decide whether or not they want offshore aquaculture in the EEZ off that state’s coastline. “This option allows states like Alaska and Hawaii to decide for themselves whether this law and offshore aquaculture are best for their citizens and economies,” said Stevens. “But, on the other hand, there is a great increase in demand for fish farming in the ocean areas and we should have a national recognition of that so it can proceed and have federal funding.”

Senator Stevens co-sponsored Senator Inouye’s amendments to provide environmental safeguards for wild fish stocks and to strike language that would have allowed foreign governments to operate offshore aquaculture facilities. Additionally, Stevens and Inouye co-sponsored Senator Olympia Snowe’s (R-Maine) amendment to strike the Jones Act waiver for vessels supporting offshore aquaculture facilities contained in the Administration’s bill.

“Because we have only had the bill for a short time, we have not had the opportunity to thoroughly analyze the bill and speak to Alaskans about its impacts. It is possible that there will be other concerns that we will need to address as this bill moves through the Senate,” said Stevens.