According to facts and figures over 2/3 of the world’s wild fish stocks are currently fished at or over sustainable levels, and it is predicted that the entire wild seafood industry could collapse in 50 years unless solutions are sought today. Jerry Schubel, Aquarium of the Pacific CEO and session leader, informed that creating California-farmed, environmentally friendly seafood products has the potential to reduce our carbon footprint, decrease pressures on wild fish species, reduce our importation of seafood, and increase state revenues.
At the end of two-day session there was agreement that California could reap economic benefits while at the same time establishing strict environmental standards for the rest of the nation to follow. It is told that the participants agreed that with proper planning, including siting, control of environmental impacts, and monitoring and enforcement, fish could be farmed in a sustainable manner off the coast of Southern California.
As California imports over 80 percent of its seafood consumption, it would be better if locally produced farmed seafood push forward because it could reduce California’s carbon footprint on these imports. It would also help the residents of California financially. It is said that an offshore finfish aquaculture industry in less than one percent of state waters could bring in up to $1 billion.
