America’s oceans need protection, not politics

Here’s something Republicans and Democrats should agree on: Major decisions about America’s ocean future shouldn’t depend on politics. They should be guided by science, stakeholder input and clear standards established by Congress that prioritize environmental protection and consumer health.

Yet that’s exactly where we are today. Permitting for open ocean aquaculture has largely been driven by an inconsistent and unclear patchwork of rules that weren’t designed with marine aquaculture in mind. As a result, there are no clear and consistent standards established by Congress for research, environmental review and public engagement.

That means decisions about a new ocean industry affecting public waters could largely unfold through shifting politics rather than science. Depending on who holds the White House, one administration may require aquaculture farms to abide by strong health and environmental safeguards and oversight, while another may take a different approach. For an emerging industry with significant environmental and economic implications, that kind of uncertainty serves no one — not fishing communities, not ocean ecosystems and not responsible businesses seeking clear rules of the road.

The Marine Aquaculture Research for America Act offers a practical solution. Rather than rely solely on the whims of a particular administration, the bill would establish science-based requirements, ensuring clear and consistent guardrails for how aquaculture research and development proceed in federal waters. 

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