Chapter 9
Regulation and Permitting of Standalone
and Co-located Open Ocean Aquaculture
Facilities
John S. Corbin, John Holmyard and Scott Lindell
Abstract Aquaculture will be the dominant producer of global seafood in the 21st
Century and the emerging open ocean farming sector must play an important role.
Current concepts for utilizing the ocean for aquaculture in national Exclusive Economic
Zones, include; standalone structures for growing shellfish and finfish and aquaculture
production facilities co-located with other, compatible ocean uses, e.g., offshore oil
platforms and wind energy towers. There may also be potential for multiple use of
marine space incorporating aquaculture at different trophic levels together with artificial
reefs, recreational angling and diving and commercial fishing using static gear. This
chapter examines the global status of open ocean aquaculture (OOA), stand alone and
co-located projects, in national ocean jurisdictions. Regulatory regimes and experiences
permitting OOA shellfish and finfish farming in the United States and shellfish farming
in the United Kingdom are shared. Examples of the permitting process from several U.
S. states are also cited. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are offered to assist
nations in formulating and implementing regulatory systems to effectively facilitate
commercial aquaculture development in the open ocean environment.
9.1 Introduction
The current world population of 7.2 billion is projected to increase by 1 billion over
the next 12 years and reach 9.6 billion by 2050 (UNFAO 2014). With this steadily
rising population pressure on the earth’s resources, as well as its political systems,
social structures, and food production alternatives, there are many challenges to
J.S. Corbin (&)
Aquaculture Planning and Advocacy LLC, Kaneohe, HI, USA
e-mail: jscorbin@aol.com
J. Holmyard
Offshore Shellfish Ltd., Brixham, Devon, UK
S. Lindell
Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution,
MS 34, 104 Redfield Bldg., Woods Hole, MA, USA
© The Author(s) 2017
B.H. Buck and R. Langan (eds.), Aquaculture Perspective of Multi-Use Sites
in the Open Ocean, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-51159-7_9
187
Regulation and Permitting of Standalone
and Co-located Open Ocean Aquaculture
Facilities
John S. Corbin, John Holmyard and Scott Lindell
Abstract Aquaculture will be the dominant producer of global seafood in the 21st
Century and the emerging open ocean farming sector must play an important role.
Current concepts for utilizing the ocean for aquaculture in national Exclusive Economic
Zones, include; standalone structures for growing shellfish and finfish and aquaculture
production facilities co-located with other, compatible ocean uses, e.g., offshore oil
platforms and wind energy towers. There may also be potential for multiple use of
marine space incorporating aquaculture at different trophic levels together with artificial
reefs, recreational angling and diving and commercial fishing using static gear. This
chapter examines the global status of open ocean aquaculture (OOA), stand alone and
co-located projects, in national ocean jurisdictions. Regulatory regimes and experiences
permitting OOA shellfish and finfish farming in the United States and shellfish farming
in the United Kingdom are shared. Examples of the permitting process from several U.
S. states are also cited. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are offered to assist
nations in formulating and implementing regulatory systems to effectively facilitate
commercial aquaculture development in the open ocean environment.
9.1 Introduction
The current world population of 7.2 billion is projected to increase by 1 billion over
the next 12 years and reach 9.6 billion by 2050 (UNFAO 2014). With this steadily
rising population pressure on the earth’s resources, as well as its political systems,
social structures, and food production alternatives, there are many challenges to
J.S. Corbin (&)
Aquaculture Planning and Advocacy LLC, Kaneohe, HI, USA
e-mail: jscorbin@aol.com
J. Holmyard
Offshore Shellfish Ltd., Brixham, Devon, UK
S. Lindell
Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution,
MS 34, 104 Redfield Bldg., Woods Hole, MA, USA
© The Author(s) 2017
B.H. Buck and R. Langan (eds.), Aquaculture Perspective of Multi-Use Sites
in the Open Ocean, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-51159-7_9
187