Comment on FR Doc # E8-14911

Document ID: MMS-2008-OMM-0012-0043
Document Type: Public Submission
Agency: Minerals Management Service
Received Date: August 15 2008, at 10:43 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Date Posted: August 18 2008, at 12:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
Comment Start Date: July 9 2008, at 12:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
Comment Due Date: September 8 2008, at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time
Tracking Number: 806c5f92
View Document:  View as format xml

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I believe that marine aquaculture could significantly harm the environment, and therefore human health, and the economies of local fishing communities. Offshore aquaculture in the United States could pose many of the same documented problems as large-scale net pen and cage aquaculture have created around the world, including, but not limited to pollution, escapement, and heavy use of wild fish in feed. From what I have read, pollution from aquaculture, fish feces and uneaten feed flow freely out of cages and into the environment. The escapement of salmon, halibut, and cod from ocean fish farms is another chronic problem. This is really messing with the stability of and balance of the Earth, something that we humans do in the name of growth, aka business, and have seen the ignorance way too late. And furthermore, the species proposed for aquaculture in U.S. federal waters rely on high quantities of fishmeal and fish oil to meet their dietary needs. Finally, offshore aquaculture in the U.S. could cause negative socioeconomic impacts through environmental impacts and by competing with the existing seafood industry and communities. It is really a disgusting mess. Oil, gas or other energy facilities, whether currently in use or not, are not the appropriate location for offshore aquaculture operations. Had aquaculture facilities existed on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico during violent storms in recent years, there could have been massive releases of captive fish, feed, and other pollutants directly into ocean waters. Oil and gas rigs, or other energy facilities, active or decommissioned, should not be substituted for best available technology in open water aquaculture. MMS is not equipped to comprehensively manage a new industry, especially one Congress has thus far found to be a dubious endeavor. There are currently two bills pending in Congress that would set up a permitting regime for offshore aquaculture. Congress has thus far rejected these federal bills, in part because they did not have strong environmental and socioeconomic standards to guide the NOAA's decision-making. Without a bill with strong environmental and socioeconomic protections, there should be no offshore aquaculture facilities in U.S. federal waters.MMS should not use this rulemaking to bypass Congress. MMS should not finalize a program such as this one, which fails to have strong standards limiting aquaculture facilities' impacts from fish waste and fish feed effluent, use of fishmeal and fish oil, escapes, and disease, all of which can harm the marine environment and the fishing communities that rely on them. Thank you for taking my concerns under consideration. Sincerely, Alyson Garvey

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