(a) In general

(1) Within eighteen months after September 26, 1980, the Secretaries shall establish the National Aquaculture Development Plan.

Terms Used In 16 USC 2803

  • aquaculture: means the propagation and rearing of aquatic species in controlled or selected environments, including, but not limited to, ocean ranching (except private ocean ranching of Pacific salmon for profit in those States where such ranching is prohibited by law). See 16 USC 2802
  • aquaculture facility: means any land, structure, or other appurtenance that is used for aquaculture and is located in any State. See 16 USC 2802
  • aquatic species: means any species of finfish, mollusk, crustacean, or other aquatic invertebrate, amphibian, reptile, or aquatic plant. See 16 USC 2802
  • coordinating group: means the interagency aquaculture coordinating group established by section 2805 of this title. See 16 USC 2802
  • person: means any individual who is a citizen or national of the United States or of any State, any Indian tribe, any institution of higher education, and any corporation, partnership, association or other entity (including, but not limited to, any community development corporation, producer cooperative, or fishermen's cooperative) organized or existing under the laws of any State. See 16 USC 2802
  • Plan: means the National Aquaculture Development Plan required to be established under section 2803 of this title. See 16 USC 2802
  • Secretaries: means the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of the Interior. See 16 USC 2802
  • Secretary: means the Secretary of Agriculture. See 16 USC 2802
  • State: means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, or any other territory or possession of the United States. See 16 USC 2802

(2) In developing the Plan, and revisions thereto under subsection (d), beginning not later than six months after September 26, 1980, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior, other appropriate Federal officers, States, regional fishery management councils established under section 1852 of this title, and representatives of the aquaculture industry. In addition, the Secretary shall give interested persons and organizations an opportunity to comment during the development of the Plan.

(b) Contents of Plan

The Plan shall—

(1) identify aquatic species that the Secretaries determine to have significant potential for culturing on a commercial or other basis;

(2) recommend actions to be taken by the public and private sectors (which may include, but are not limited to, research and development, technical assistance, demonstration, extension education, and training activities) that are necessary to achieve such potential;

(3) address, after taking into account the status of aquaculture regarding the aquatic species concerned—

(A) aquaculture facility design and operation,

(B) water quality management,

(C) use of waste products (including thermal effluents),

(D) nutrition and the development of economical feeds, including natural food sources,

(E) life history, genetics, physiology, pathology, and disease control (including research regarding organisms that may not be harmful to fish and shellfish, but are injurious to humans),

(F) processing and market development,

(G) production management and quality control, and

(H) the development of adequate supplies of seed stock;


(4) include, where appropriate, research programs on the effect of aquaculture on estuarine and other water areas and on the management of such areas for aquaculture;

(5) include, where appropriate, programs to analyze, and formulate proposed resolutions of, the legal or regulatory constraints that may affect aquaculture; and

(6) include such other research and development, technical assistance, demonstration, extension education, and training programs as the Secretary deems necessary or appropriate to carry out this chapter.


In formulating the Plan, the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, take into account any significant action that (i) has been, or is proposed to be, undertaken by any other Federal department or agency, any State agency, or any person, and (ii) may affect the implementation of the Plan.

(c) Actions and implementation

The Plan shall specify—

(1) with respect to those actions that the Secretary determines should be undertaken, the period of time within which each such action should be completed, in order to implement the Plan; and

(2) with respect to each such action which of the Secretaries, acting individually, jointly, or collectively, has the responsibility for implementing the action.


The specifications of Secretarial responsibilities under paragraph (2) for implementing actions shall be determined on the basis of—

(A) the responsibilities conferred on the respective Secretaries by law or by any executive action having the effect of law (including, but not limited to, Reorganization Plan Numbered 4 of 1970);

(B) the experience, expertise, and other appropriate resources that the department of each such Secretary may have with respect to the action required under the activity concerned; and

(C) the concurrence of the Secretaries.

(d) Revision of Plan

The Secretaries shall undertake periodic reviews of the operation and effectiveness of the Plan. If as a result of any such review, or the aquaculture assessment required under subsection (e), the Secretaries determine that—

(1) any aquatic species not currently identified in the Plan has significant potential for aquaculture;

(2) any action specified in the Plan is not being accomplished on a successful and timely basis; or

(3) any action specified in the Plan should be terminated because its objectives have been achieved or its projected benefits do not warrant further support;


the Secretaries shall appropriately amend the Plan.

(e) Continuing aquaculture assessment

The Secretaries, through the coordinating group, shall undertake a continuing assessment of aquaculture in the United States for the purpose of maintaining, on a continuing basis—

(1) a complete profile of the aquacultural industry with respect to the incidence, size, and status of commercial aquacultural enterprises;

(2) the identification of the private and public institutions and organizations involved in aquacultural research, extension, credit, and market development;

(3) the identification of the various aquatic species being cultured and a description of the status of commercial development of each of those species;

(4) to the extent practicable, the identification of aquacultural production regions, species, and markets that have significant potential for development;

(5) a catalog describing all Federal programs and activities that directly or indirectly encourage, support, or assist aquaculture; and

(6) the identification of the economic, physical, legal, institutional, and social constraints that inhibit the development of aquaculture in the United States.