Farming fish and other seafood in federal waters may soon be possible if legislation introduced by Congresswoman Lois Capps is approved.

The introduced National Sustainable Offshore Aquaculture Act would establish the first legal regulations for marine farming in waters at least three miles off the coast of the US.

Capps plans to develop a regulatory framework that balances environmental considerations with potential economic gains.

Developing the guidelines could preserve the ocean ecosystems, meet increasing consumer demand for seafood, reduce stress on wild fish populations and create jobs, said Capps.

The US lags behind other countries when it comes to marine aquaculture, ranking 10th in total production and accounting for only US$1 billion of the world industry's US$70 billion annual production, according to 2004 figures from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

A significant amount of farmed seafood is also imported from other countries, resulting in an annual seafood trade deficit of more than US$9 billion.

By establishing a permitting and oversight process, the US could sharply increase its aquaculture output, boosting production from 500,000 tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes by 2025, according to preliminary estimates by NOAA.

NOAA officials plan to offer their own national marine farming policy early next year, Capps said.