Marine aquaculture zoning: A sustainable approach in the growth of offshore aquaculture

The legal and regulatory environment surrounding the offshore aquaculture industry is cited consistently as one of the major hurdles to its development. Individuals interested in developing sustainable offshore aquaculture face challenges in the form of a fragmented and often inconsistent permitting process among the federal, state, and local agencies and questions regarding leasing, siting, and property rights. The lack of adequate leasing options restricts the feasibility of moving pens offshore. One avenue to sustainable offshore aquaculture is the consolidation of specific sites for aquaculture leases into Marine Aquaculture Zones (MAZs). Zoning has been a useful land-based tool in the United States to set aside particular areas appropriate for industry development. The creation of MAZs require: a) the designation of one federal agency responsible for the management of the zones; b) issuance of leases of the water column and sea-bed in the zones; and, c) issuance of a permit that would incorporate the concerns of other relevant federal and state agencies. Marine zoning faces significant challenges that its land-based counterpart does not, such as boundary disputes, enforcement difficulties, and more frequent user conflicts. Coastal and offshore waters represent a public resource for use by fishers, recreationalists, mineral exploiters, and the shipping industry. Despite significant policy conflicts, coastal managers across the globe are recognizing the importance of setting aside particular areas of marine waters for specific uses. These include marine sanctuaries; areas used as military zones; specific lease areas for offshore oil and gas exploration; and, state and federal "marine reserves" or "marine protected areas" to conserve fish and other marine resources. These designations, along with international zoning efforts, offer elements to create a marine zone model dedicated to aquaculture.