The seafood component of the U.S. trade deficit currently runs
at US$10 billion per year. While the demand for seafood increases,
capture fisheries and marine ecosystems around the world are collapsing
due to overfishing.
In the U.S. closures or buyback schemes to reduce effort have effectively
shut down once-productive fisheries. Other environmental concerns
for endangered species or marine mammals have seen closures or limitations.
U.S. Domestic fisheries production is currently sustained largely
by massive harvests of pollock in the Bering sea -- a former "trash
fish" that is now increasingly sought after as more desirable
alternatives become scarce. In 1999, for the first time ever, the
U.S. imported more seafood than was caught by U.S. fishermen.
Aquaculture offers the only viable solution to the growing demand
for sustainable, healthy sources of seafood. Fish farming can reduce
exploitative pressure on already-depleted wild stocks, supports
the growth of coastal and rural industries, and yields a product
that is high in protein and rich in heart-healthy oils and fatty
acids. It is a growing industry, and is projected to increase in
pace. The U.S. Department of Commerce has set a goal of a fivefold
increase in U.S. aquaculture production value, to $5 billion by
2025.
Domestic aquaculture production using existing methods or species
cannot keep pace with such lofty goals. Almost all domestic production
is from freshwater species, with the only marine species being produced
in any quantity (salmon and striped bass) being anadromous (freshwater
spawning). The relatively recent development of open-ocean culture
systems and hatchery methods for desirable high-value marine fish
offers a great opportunity for expansion of aquaculture in the vast
undeveloped offshore regions of the U.S. territorial sea, in an
environmentally responsible manner.
Offshore fish culture now stands on the cusp of a tremendous expansion.
With increasingly specialized hatchery techniques, high value finfish
such as tuna, grouper, and, of course, Kampachi are being (or may
soon be) farmed in the open ocean to meet this demand. When coupled
with cutting-edge fish nutrition and sustainable feeds research,
this will afford the average consumer a safe, consistent supply
of the most popular type of fish -- marine finfish -- without harming
wild stocks.
Expanding aquaculture production in the face of declining world
fisheries is an imperative, and by fostering this industry in the
US, we can ensure that this expansion occurs responsibly. Doing
it is important, but just as important is doing it right. With our
yellowtail and other species, Kampachi Farms will remain at the
forefront of this seafood revolution, leading the development of
a safe, sustainable, environmentally responsible mariculture industry
by example.