Celebrity chefs, NGOs and business leaders have launched a new coalition for sustainable aquaculture

The newly launched coalition is committed to developing a responsible approach to sustainable aquaculture (CSA) for ocean farming in US coastal waters:

• A strong regulatory framework to ensure that coastal water resources are safe, sustainable, equitable and science-based
• New opportunities for historically disadvantaged and marginalized communities to benefit from new industries
• Government studies and pilot programs on water to address knowledge gaps and determine best practices

CSA is launching with more than twenty leading chefs and ten senior founding member organizations: Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Minorities in Aquaculture, Marine Mammal Center, Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE), Lowcountry Oyster Co, Blue Dot Seafood, Aquapark, Monterey Bay Seaweeds, Neptune Sustainable Ocean Snacks and Posteltia.

“Americans want more sustainable seafood on their plates. That means one of our primary solutions is to grow it here and do it right,” said award-winning chef and CSA founder Andrew Zimmern. They want to know, and we’re coming together to create a movement to do just that.”

As demand for seafood continues to grow globally, the market in the U.S. for sustainable, local seafood is higher than ever. However, the United States imports more than 85 percent of its seafood; The other half is in agriculture.

Founding CSA member Imani Black, founder of Minorities in Aquaculture, said, “With a commitment to responsible, domestic aquaculture that includes offshore farming, we can build a sustainable supply chain for everyone, all while growing fair and inclusive jobs. That means more Americans can have sustainably produced, nutritious seafood at their local grocery stores, restaurants, farmers markets, and in their homes.

While Americans eat more seafood from abroad, some seafood operations lack the strict environmental and safety standards we have in the US, resulting in the export of our environmental and ethical footprints. The Magnuson-Stevens Act set a global precedent for wild stock reform. The US has an opportunity to lead and build a science-based hydropower industry.

Learn more about the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture here.