China), is a minor producer of product and barely ranks in the top 15 producing
countries (FAOFishStat 2016). The US currently imports around 90% of its edible
seafood supply and has an annual trade deficit value of more than $10 billion—and
that number is increasing each year. Ironically, for a country that has not effectively
promoted domestic aquaculture expansion through easing of regulations and permitting processes, it is estimated that half of the product the US imports each year is
produced by aquaculture (NOAA FishWatch.gov 2014).
Nearly half of the global population currently lives within 200 km of a coastline
and that figure is expected to double by 2025 (PRB 2003). User conflicts and land
demands for development will compete for space to conduct commercial scale
marine aquaculture utilizing land-based pond or tank systems. Increasingly, both
researchers and investors are considering the benefits of moving into the offshore
environment where both water volume and water quality ameliorate many of the
issues faced by traditional aquaculture production (Price and Morris 2013). While
typically considered near shore, the explosion of the 1.8 million ton/yr salmon
culture industry in the last 30 years is just one example of the potential rearing
organisms in the marine environment offers. The vast majority of cage or net-pen
operations currently in place are next to or within sight of land, which in most cases
locates them within 10 miles of shore. Most, therefore, are situated with some sort
of land mass nearby and are not exposed on all sides to prevailing wind and sea
conditions.
With regards to the US coastline, several factors for siting of offshore aquaculture projects must be taken into consideration such as: distance from shore, water
depth, logistics of maintaining personnel, feed, and equipment, transportation
issues, environmental impact, culture species availability, product markets, among
others. The GoM presents a unique situation because it is a sub-tropical saltwater
environment which currently has nearly 3000 platforms in place associated with
energy production. Certainly not all of these structures are in suitable locations for
siting projects, but when the aforementioned factors are considered several of the
existing platforms would be candidates for aquaculture. Supporting the energy
industry are numerous vessels, terminal facilities, heavy equipment and experienced
personnel, all of which would be valuable assets for the development of a commercial aquaculture venture in the offshore environment.
The mariculture projects utilizing offshore platforms described in the following
sections were conducted in totally exposed locations and as such, presented the
operators with unique challenges. Since 1990, there have only been three projects in
GoM waters attempting to raise fish in cages either nearby or attached to oil and gas
platforms. The platforms were used for monitoring the cage systems in addition to
being a base of operation in two cases and strictly for observation purposes during
the third project. It is important for the reader to note that the perspective offered by
the co-authors is from direct personal experience working on two of these projects
over several years—installing cage systems, stocking and feeding fish, inspecting
and maintaining the cages, and living or working on the platforms involved. Results
of these efforts will be discussed along with considerations for future use of oil and
gas platforms for offshore aquaculture.
13 Offshore Platforms and Mariculture in the US
377
countries (FAOFishStat 2016). The US currently imports around 90% of its edible
seafood supply and has an annual trade deficit value of more than $10 billion—and
that number is increasing each year. Ironically, for a country that has not effectively
promoted domestic aquaculture expansion through easing of regulations and permitting processes, it is estimated that half of the product the US imports each year is
produced by aquaculture (NOAA FishWatch.gov 2014).
Nearly half of the global population currently lives within 200 km of a coastline
and that figure is expected to double by 2025 (PRB 2003). User conflicts and land
demands for development will compete for space to conduct commercial scale
marine aquaculture utilizing land-based pond or tank systems. Increasingly, both
researchers and investors are considering the benefits of moving into the offshore
environment where both water volume and water quality ameliorate many of the
issues faced by traditional aquaculture production (Price and Morris 2013). While
typically considered near shore, the explosion of the 1.8 million ton/yr salmon
culture industry in the last 30 years is just one example of the potential rearing
organisms in the marine environment offers. The vast majority of cage or net-pen
operations currently in place are next to or within sight of land, which in most cases
locates them within 10 miles of shore. Most, therefore, are situated with some sort
of land mass nearby and are not exposed on all sides to prevailing wind and sea
conditions.
With regards to the US coastline, several factors for siting of offshore aquaculture projects must be taken into consideration such as: distance from shore, water
depth, logistics of maintaining personnel, feed, and equipment, transportation
issues, environmental impact, culture species availability, product markets, among
others. The GoM presents a unique situation because it is a sub-tropical saltwater
environment which currently has nearly 3000 platforms in place associated with
energy production. Certainly not all of these structures are in suitable locations for
siting projects, but when the aforementioned factors are considered several of the
existing platforms would be candidates for aquaculture. Supporting the energy
industry are numerous vessels, terminal facilities, heavy equipment and experienced
personnel, all of which would be valuable assets for the development of a commercial aquaculture venture in the offshore environment.
The mariculture projects utilizing offshore platforms described in the following
sections were conducted in totally exposed locations and as such, presented the
operators with unique challenges. Since 1990, there have only been three projects in
GoM waters attempting to raise fish in cages either nearby or attached to oil and gas
platforms. The platforms were used for monitoring the cage systems in addition to
being a base of operation in two cases and strictly for observation purposes during
the third project. It is important for the reader to note that the perspective offered by
the co-authors is from direct personal experience working on two of these projects
over several years—installing cage systems, stocking and feeding fish, inspecting
and maintaining the cages, and living or working on the platforms involved. Results
of these efforts will be discussed along with considerations for future use of oil and
gas platforms for offshore aquaculture.
13 Offshore Platforms and Mariculture in the US
377