September 9, 2020 — Floating cages with fish by the thousands may be popping up in the Gulf of Mexico after all.
President Donald Trump’s administration is pushing ahead with a controversial plan to start an offshore aquaculture industry in the Gulf despite a federal appeals court ruling last month that appeared to block it.
The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans decided on Aug. 3 that the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration does not have the authority to set rules for offshore fish farms. Environmental and commercial fishing groups celebrated the decision, calling it a landmark victory in a long battle to prevent aquaculture in federal waters.
But NOAA and other federal regulators say the ruling won’t halt plans they are carrying out in accordance with an executive order Trump signed in May that aims to remove regulatory barriers impeding aquaculture. The Trump administration says offshore fish farming will broaden markets for the seafood industry and help meet growing demand for fish.