‘‘SEC. 217. OFFICE OF AQUACULTURE. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) AQUACULTURE.—The term ‘aquaculture’ 
has the meaning given that term in section 3 of the 
National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (16 U.S.C. 2802). 
‘‘(2) 
COMMITTEE.—The 
term 
‘Committee’ 
means the Aquaculture Advisory Committee estab-
lished under subsection (c)(1). 
‘‘(3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘Director’ means 
the Director of the Office appointed under sub-
section (b)(2). 
‘‘(4) OFFICE.—The term ‘Office’ means the Of-
fice of Aquaculture established under subsection 
(b)(1). 
‘‘(b) OFFICE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish in the Department an Office of Aquaculture. 
‘‘(2) DIRECTOR.—The Secretary shall appoint a 
senior official to serve as the Director of the Office. 
‘‘(3) MISSION.—The mission of the Office, in 
coordination with any other relevant Federal agency, 
shall be to encourage and promote aquaculture oper-
ations that promote United States food security and 
limit adverse environmental effects, including— 
‘‘(A) shellfish cultivation (including oys-
ters, clams, and mussels); 
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‘‘(B) micro- and macro-algae cultivation; 
‘‘(C) aquaculture production within land- 
based systems; and 
‘‘(D) other forms of aquaculture produc-
tion, as determined by the Secretary, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Commerce and 
the heads of other Federal agencies, as applica-
ble. 
‘‘(4) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Director shall be 
responsible for engaging in activities to carry out the 
mission of the Office described in paragraph (3), in-
cluding by— 
‘‘(A) overseeing programs of the Depart-
ment to support the development and advance-
ment of aquaculture best practices, using the 
best available science, in consultation with agri-
cultural producers and industry partners; 
‘‘(B) providing technical assistance on best 
practices to aquaculture farmers and busi-
nesses, including for shellfish, algae, and land- 
based aquaculture systems, using the best avail-
able science; 
‘‘(C) advising the Secretary; 
‘‘(D) coordinating with the agencies and 
officials of the Department to update and en-
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sure support for aquaculture in relevant pro-
grams; 
‘‘(E) engaging in stakeholder relations and 
developing external partnerships; 
‘‘(F) identifying common State and munic-
ipal best practices for navigating local policies; 
‘‘(G) oversight of extension and outreach 
efforts to support aquaculture producers and 
businesses; 
‘‘(H) collaborating and coordinating with 
other Federal agencies, including the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Of-
fice of Science and Technology Policy, and the 
Environmental Protection Agency; 
‘‘(I) convening a working group with rel-
evant officials of the Department to coordinate 
programs and share knowledge; 
‘‘(J) representing the Department on the 
Subcommittee on Aquaculture of the National 
Science and Technology Council; 
‘‘(K) gathering and issuing aquaculture 
production data, in consultation with the Ad-
ministrator of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration; 
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‘‘(L) applying existing programs for risk 
mitigation as applicable to aquaculture, includ-
ing insurance and purchasing programs; and 
‘‘(M) promoting aquaculture practices that 
provide environmental, economic, and social 
benefits. 
‘‘(c) AQUACULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of the Sustaining 
Healthy Ecosystems, Livelihoods, and Local Seafood 
Act, the Secretary shall establish an Aquaculture 
Advisory Committee to advise the Secretary on— 
‘‘(A) oversight of programs of the Depart-
ment to support development of, and to ad-
vance, aquaculture best practices using the best 
available science, in consultation with farmers 
and industry partners; 
‘‘(B) the history, use and preservation of 
Indigenous and traditional aquaculture prac-
tices and ecological knowledge; 
‘‘(C) providing technical assistance to 
aquaculture farmers and businesses, including 
technical assistance that pertains to shellfish, 
algae, and land-based aquaculture systems, 
using the best available science; and 
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‘‘(D) any other aspects of the implementa-
tion of this section. 
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Committee shall 
be composed of 14 members, to be appointed by 
the Secretary, of whom— 
‘‘(i) 1 shall be a representative of the 
Department, who shall serve as chair of 
the Committee; 
‘‘(ii) 4 shall be individuals who are 
aquaculture producers who employ best 
practices and limit adverse effects that re-
sult from the operations of the aquaculture 
producers; 
‘‘(iii) 2 shall be representatives from 
an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization (as 
such terms are defined in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education 
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) or from 
a Native Hawaiian organization (as such 
term is defined in section 2 of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatri-
ation Act (25 U.S.C. 3001)); 
‘‘(iv) 1 shall be a representative from 
a State or interstate commission; 
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‘‘(v) 1 shall be a representative from 
an institution of higher education or exten-
sion program; 
‘‘(vi) 1 shall be an individual who rep-
resents a nonprofit organization, which 
may include a public health, environ-
mental, or community organization; 
‘‘(vii) 1 shall be an individual who 
represents a relevant port, coastal, or 
working waterfront community; 
‘‘(viii) 1 shall be an individual with 
supply chain experience, which may include 
a food aggregator, wholesale food dis-
tributor, food hub, or an individual who 
has direct-to-consumer market experience; 
‘‘(ix) 1 shall be an individual with re-
lated experience or expertise in aquaculture 
production practices, as determined by the 
Secretary; and 
‘‘(x) 1 shall be an individual who rep-
resents aquaculture end users, including a 
chef, member of the food service industry, 
or grocer. 
‘‘(B) INITIAL
APPOINTMENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall appoint the members of the Com-
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mittee not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section. 
‘‘(3) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT; VACANCIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), a member of the Committee 
shall be appointed for a term of 3 years. 
‘‘(B) INITIAL
APPOINTMENTS.—Of the 
members first appointed to the Committee— 
‘‘(i) 5 of the members, as determined 
by the Secretary, shall be appointed for a 
term of 3 years; 
‘‘(ii) 5 of the members, as determined 
by the Secretary, shall be appointed for a 
term of 2 years; and 
‘‘(iii) 4 of the members, as determined 
by the Secretary, shall be appointed for a 
term of 1 year. 
‘‘(C) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the 
Committee— 
‘‘(i) shall not affect the powers of the 
Committee; and 
‘‘(ii) shall be filled as soon as prac-
ticable in the same manner as the original 
appointment. 
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‘‘(D) CONSECUTIVE
TERMS.—An initial 
appointee of the Committee may serve an addi-
tional consecutive term if the member is re-
appointed by the Secretary. 
‘‘(4) MEETINGS.— 
‘‘(A) FREQUENCY.—The Committee shall 
meet not fewer than 3 times per year. 
‘‘(B) INITIAL
MEETING.—Not later than 
180 days after the date on which the members 
are appointed under paragraph (2)(B), the 
Committee shall hold the first meeting of the 
Committee. 
‘‘(5) DUTIES.— 
‘‘(A) 
IN
GENERAL.—The 
Committee 
shall— 
‘‘(i) develop recommendations and ad-
vise the Director on aquaculture policies, 
initiatives, and outreach administered by 
the Office; 
‘‘(ii) evaluate and review ongoing re-
search and extension activities relating to 
aquaculture practices; 
‘‘(iii) identify new and existing bar-
riers to successful aquaculture practices; 
and 
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‘‘(iv) provide additional assistance and 
advice to the Director as appropriate. 
‘‘(B) REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date on which the Committee is estab-
lished, and every 2 years thereafter through 
2028, the Committee shall submit to the Sec-
retary, the Committee on Agriculture, Nutri-
tion, and Forestry and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen-
ate, and the Committee on Agriculture and the 
Committee on Natural Resources of the House 
of Representatives, a report describing the rec-
ommendations developed under subparagraph 
(A). 
‘‘(6) PERSONNEL MATTERS.— 
‘‘(A) COMPENSATION.—A member of the 
Committee shall serve without compensation. 
‘‘(B) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—A member of 
the Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, 
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in ac-
cordance with section 5703 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
‘‘(7) TERMINATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), the Committee shall terminate on 
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the date that is 5 years after the date on which 
the members are appointed under paragraph 
(2)(B). 
‘‘(B) EXTENSIONS.—Before the date on 
which the Committee terminates, the Secretary 
may renew the Committee for 1 or more 2-year 
periods. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) The Department of Agriculture Reorganiza-
tion Act of 1994 is amended by redesignating the 
first section 225 (7 U.S.C. 6925) (relating to the 
Food Access Liaison) as section 224A. 
(2) Section 296(b) of the Department of Agri-
culture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 
7014(b)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(11) The authority of the Secretary to carry 
out section 217.’’. 
Æ 
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