August 30, 2007

Hawaiian farm held up as model for sustainable aquaculture
 

A Hawaiian fish farm has been touted as a model for developing sustainable aquaculture in the US.

The Kona Blue Water Farms in Big Island, one of the eight main islands of Hawaii, is a pioneer of open ocean aquaculture.

Officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Marine Fisheries Service visited the company's offshore fish farm last week.

William Hogarth, director of the National Marine Fisheries Service, said the company's infrastructure and commitment to environmental sustainability could be replicated in federal waters offshore.

Federal authorities recently introduced a bill supported by the Bush administration to tap offshore aquaculture to reduce reliance on foreign seafood imports.

Inland aquaculture has not taken off in the US largely due to costs and environmental issues. Recent discoveries of contaminants in seafood from countries such as China have also caused consumer concerns.