NROC Ocean Planning Committee Webinar: Aquaculture Opportunity Areas

10/26/2020
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

As part of the recent federal Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth, NOAA announced that federal waters off of Southern California and in the Gulf of Mexico will be the first two regions to host Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs). The selection of these regions is the first step in a process designed to identify and complete programmatic environmental impact statements for 10 Aquaculture Opportunity Areas nationwide. This webinar will cover the recent Executive Order, information on spatial analysis that will be performed to develop Aquaculture Opportunity Atlases for selected regions, upcoming opportunities for stakeholder input regarding siting considerations for the identification of 10 AOAs over the next five years, and how NOAA will work with stakeholders and interagency teams throughout the process to inform AOA siting and environmental impact analysis.

Brief agenda

2:00 – Welcome, introductions and context

            Ted Diers, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, NROC OPC Co-Chair

           Chris Boelke, NOAA Fisheries, NROC OPC Co-Chair

2:15 – Aquaculture Aspects of the Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth

           Chris Schillaci and Kevin Madley, NOAA Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region Aquaculture Coordinators

2:35 – Spatial Planning for Aquaculture Opportunity Areas

           James Morris, NOAA National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science  

3:00 – Question and Answers – Webinar Participants 

3:30 – Adjourn

Nick Napoli
nnapoli@northeastoceancouncil.org