Purposes

The purposes of this Act are— (1) to authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish and study commercial-scale demonstration projects to answer scientific questions needed to safely and sustainably regulate offshore aquaculture in the United States; (2) to commission a study and report to assess the environmental and regulatory viability of a United States offshore aquaculture industry; (3) to support aquaculture workforce development and working waterfronts by creating new jobs and to support existing jobs and businesses within the seafood industry of the United States, including jobs and businesses for traditional participants in the fishing industry; (4) to establish Aquaculture Centers of Excellence to meet the needs of the growing domestic sustainable aquaculture industry; (5) to reduce the United States seafood trade deficit by expanding the domestic supply of seafood through the production of sustainable offshore aquaculture; and (6) to support the development of offshore aquaculture in a manner that minimizes conflicts with existing recreational and commercial fishing access and uses.