Office of Aquaculture

(a) Establishment There is established within the headquarters of the National Marine Fisheries Service of the Administration the Office of Aquaculture (in this section referred to as the Office). (b) Resources The Administrator shall ensure the Office is provided with sufficient resources to carry out the duties of the Office under subsection (d), subject to available appropriations. (c) Representation at regional fisheries offices (1) In general The Administrator shall provide for representation of the Office in each of the regional fisheries offices of the Administration. (2) Minimum presence In carrying out paragraph (1), the Administrator— (A) shall provide for the placement of at least one regional aquaculture coordinator from the Office in each regional fisheries office; (B) shall otherwise ensure that the representation of the Office at a regional fisheries office is, at a minimum, sufficient to permit the Office to fulfill the duties of the Office under subsection (d); and (C) may increase that representation to the extent warranted by the activity and interest of aquaculture stakeholders in the region. (d) Duties The Office shall— (1) coordinate the implementation of this Act, including administration of— (A) the offshore aquaculture assessment program established under section 201; and (B) the issuance of permits under section 202; (2) coordinate regulatory, scientific, outreach, and international issues related to aquaculture within the Administration; (3) collaborate with and leverage existing efforts by the Administrator— (A) to conduct outreach, education, extension services, and training efforts for aquaculture and offshore aquaculture; and (B) to engage with aquaculture stakeholders and, periodically, convene conferences or workshops for aquaculture stakeholders to exchange information and ideas; (4) develop recommendations for best management practices for offshore aquaculture operations that, at a minimum— (A) encourage development of offshore aquaculture in a manner that complies with environmental law; (B) are based on the best scientific information available; (C) take into account traditional knowledge of Tribal and Indigenous communities as appropriate to the region; (D) are adaptive to offshore aquaculture developments, such as updates in technology and different environmental conditions; (E) prefer species that are native or historically naturalized to the region; (F) evaluate and, where appropriate, incorporate practices that reduce reliance on wild-caught marine forage in aquaculture feeds, consistent with best available science and the availability of sustainable alternatives; and (G) prioritize the health of cultured species; (5) coordinate and conduct additional research to support the development of sustainable offshore aquaculture; (6) administer support for industry under section 301; (7) administer the Aquaculture Centers of Excellence under section 302; (8) administer the contract to conduct the study described in section 401; and (9) coordinate the engagement of the Administration with the Comptroller General of the United States as the Comptroller General prepares the report required by section 402. (e) Agreements with States (1) In general Upon request of the Governor of a coastal State, the Administrator may enter into an agreement with the State to allow the State, and aquaculture stakeholders in the State as appropriate, to participate in activities authorized under sections 201 and 203 and titles III and IV with respect to aquaculture operations located in State waters that— (A) are directly exposed to open ocean conditions; and (B) possess oceanographic or bathymetric characteristics substantially similar to offshore waters of the exclusive economic zone. (2) Limitation An agreement entered into under this subsection shall not be construed to subject aquaculture operations in State waters to permitting or regulatory requirements applicable exclusively to offshore aquaculture in the exclusive economic zone, unless expressly provided in such agreement and authorized under applicable State law. (3) Rule of construction Nothing in this subsection or in any agreement entered into under this subsection shall be construed to displace, supersede, or diminish the authority of a coastal State to regulate aquaculture within its waters or the authority of the Administrator under otherwise applicable law. (f) Budget request The Administrator shall include, in the budget justification materials submitted to Congress in support of the budget of the President for a fiscal year pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, a request for funding for the Office as a separate line item with the National Marine Fisheries Service.