I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5944 
To require the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration to establish an assessment program for offshore aquaculture, 
to establish Aquaculture Centers of Excellence, to require a study and 
report, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 12, 2023 
Ms. MACE (for herself, Mr. PANETTA, and Ms. PINGREE) introduced the 
following bill 
OCTOBER 25, 2023 
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration to establish an assessment 
program for offshore aquaculture, to establish Aqua-
culture Centers of Excellence, to require a study and 
report, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Science-based Equi-
table Aquaculture Food Act’’ or the ‘‘SEAfood Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the National 
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. 
(2) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate; 
(B) the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works of the Senate; 
(C) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutri-
tion, and Forestry of the Senate; 
(D) the Committee on Natural Resources 
of the House of Representatives; 
(E) the Committee on Agriculture of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(F) the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives. 
(3) COMMUNITY
WITH
ENVIRONMENTAL
JUS-
TICE CONCERNS.—The term ‘‘community with envi-
ronmental justice concerns’’ means a community 
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(vi) Hispanic. 
(vii) Latino. 
(viii) Linguistically isolated. 
(C) Members of a Tribal or Indigenous 
community. 
(4) COUNCIL COORDINATION COMMITTEE.—The 
term ‘‘Council Coordination Committee’’ means the 
committee established under section 302(l) of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Man-
agement Act (16 U.S.C. 1852(l)). 
(5) COVERED
INSTITUTION.—The term ‘‘cov-
ered institution’’ means— 
(A) a minority-serving institution; 
(B) a historically Black college or univer-
sity; or 
(C) a Tribal College or University. 
(6) ESCAPE.—The term ‘‘escape’’ means the es-
cape of juvenile- or adult-farmed organisms, viable 
gametes, or fertilized eggs spawned by farmed orga-
nisms from offshore aquaculture facilities. 
(7) EXCLUSIVE
ECONOMIC
ZONE.—The term 
‘‘exclusive economic zone’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 
U.S.C. 1802). 
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(8) HISTORICALLY
BLACK
COLLEGE
OR
UNI-
VERSITY.—The term ‘‘historically Black college or 
university’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘part B 
institution’’ in section 322 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061). 
(9) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 
has the meaning given that term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
(10) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— 
The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 101 of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 
(11) MINORITY-SERVING
INSTITUTION.—The 
term ‘‘minority-serving institution’’ means an eligi-
ble institution described in paragraph (2), (4), (5), 
(6), or (7) of section 371(a) of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)). 
(12) OFFSHORE
AQUACULTURE.—The term 
‘‘offshore aquaculture’’ means aquaculture con-
ducted in the exclusive economic zone. 
(13) SPECIALLY AFFECTED ADJACENT COASTAL 
JURISDICTION.—The term ‘‘specially affected adja-
cent coastal jurisdiction’’ means, with respect to any 
activity proposed, conducted, or approved by the Ad-
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ministrator under section 4, any coastal State land 
or coastal Tribal land— 
(A) that is adjacent to, or the waters of 
which are adjacent to, the Federal waters in 
which such activity is conducted; 
(B) that is used, or is scheduled to be 
used, as a support base for such activity; and 
(C) for which there is a reasonable prob-
ability of significant effect on uses of land or 
water from such activity. 
(14) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the several States, the District of Columbia, and 
each commonwealth, territory, or possession of the 
United States. 
(15) TRIBAL COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.—The 
term ‘‘Tribal College or University’’ means an insti-
tution described in section 316(b) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)) that is 
chartered by the governing body of the applicable In-
dian Tribe or by the Federal Government. 
(16) TRIBAL LAND.—The term ‘‘Tribal land’’ 
means land that is subject to the jurisdiction of an 
Indian Tribe. 
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(17) TRIBAL
OR
INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY.— 
The term ‘‘Tribal or Indigenous community’’ means 
a population of people who are— 
(A) enrolled members of an Indian Tribe; 
(B) members of an Alaska Native or Na-
tive Hawaiian community or organization; or 
(C) members of any other community of 
Indigenous people located in a State. 
(18) UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘underserved 
communities’’ means— 
(i) women; and 
(ii) individuals belonging to commu-
nities that have been denied consistent and 
systematic fair, just, and impartial treat-
ment and have been systematically denied 
a full opportunity to participate in all as-
pects of economic, social, and civic life, in-
cluding— 
(I) Black, Latino, Indigenous, 
and Native American individuals; 
(II) Asian Americans and Pacific 
Islanders; and 
(III) other persons of color. 
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(B) INCLUSIONS.—In the context of the 
offshore aquaculture industry, the term ‘‘under-
served communities’’, within fishing commu-
nities, may include— 
(i) subsistence fishery participants 
and their dependents; 
(ii) fishing vessel crews; 
(iii) fish processor and distribution 
workers; and 
(iv) territorial fishing communities, 
including such communities in American 
Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, 
and the United States Virgin Islands. 
(19) VETERAN.—The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 101 of title 38, 
United States Code. 
SEC. 3. STUDY ON OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE BY OCEAN 
STUDIES BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACAD-
EMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, AND 
MEDICINE. 
(a) STUDY.—The Administrator shall seek to enter 
into a contract with the Ocean Studies Board of the Na-
tional Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 
(in this section referred to as the ‘‘Board’’) under which 
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the Board shall, not later than 30 months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act— 
(1) complete a study— 
(A) to determine whether the Board rec-
ommends the pursuit of offshore aquaculture; 
and 
(B) if the Board recommends the pursuit 
of offshore aquaculture, to develop the scientific 
basis for efficient and effective regulation of 
offshore aquaculture; and 
(2) submit to Congress and make publicly avail-
able the results of the study. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study completed pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall, with respect to offshore aqua-
culture— 
(1) identify— 
(A) optimal methods of operation of off-
shore aquaculture facilities to limit adverse ef-
fects on the environment, wildlife, and human 
well-being, including— 
(i) considerations to guide siting deci-
sions of such facilities; 
(ii) appropriate stocking densities; and 
(iii) opportunities for selective breed-
ing; 
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(B) a science-based definition of ‘‘respon-
sible offshore aquaculture feed or other inputs’’, 
including guidance on sourcing feed or other in-
puts to address long- or short-term concerns, 
including the availability and scalability of such 
inputs; 
(C) potential adverse effects on the envi-
ronment, wildlife, and human well-being, includ-
ing from— 
(i) the use of antibiotics and other 
pharmaceuticals by offshore aquaculture 
facilities, including through analyses nec-
essary to establish acceptable rates, impact 
levels, and risk thresholds, such as anal-
yses of organism antibiotic consumption or 
metabolization versus excretion to the sur-
rounding environment; 
(ii) assimilation of pollution origi-
nating from such facilities on marine orga-
nisms; 
(iii) the risk posed by misplaced or 
damaged equipment; 
(iv) the risk of harmful interactions 
with wildlife; 
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(v) interbreeding and the spread of 
disease; 
(vi) the source and environmental im-
pacts associated with the collection and re-
moval of brood stock for offshore aqua-
culture operations and impacts of hatch-
eries and prestocking rearing operations 
that are specific to offshore aquaculture; 
(vii) large-scale cultivation of filter- 
feed bivalve organisms and seaweed on the 
marine food webs; 
(viii) offshore aquaculture facilities 
acting as aggregating devices and increas-
ing the vulnerability of wild fisheries and 
wildlife populations to fishing or other 
sources of mortality; 
(ix) predator control devices and 
methods; and 
(x) the use of nonsustainable sources 
of feed or other inputs, including the use 
of globally limited marine resources for 
feed ingredients, environmental impacts, 
and scalability of alternatives, including— 
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(I) novel ingredients (for exam-
ple, insect, single cell protein, and 
algae); 
(II) traditional ingredients (for 
example, soya); and 
(III) other inputs; 
(D) potential methods and technologies to 
mitigate adverse effects, including the effects 
identified under subparagraph (C); 
(E) potential conflicts and solutions to 
mitigate such conflicts between offshore aqua-
culture facilities and other users of the offshore 
environment; 
(F) the types of data and qualitative infor-
mation necessary for the optimal operation of 
such facilities and appropriate methods of pro-
curing such data and information, including 
from— 
(i) citizen science (as defined in sec-
tion 402(c) of the Crowdsourcing and Cit-
izen Science Act (15 U.S.C. 3724(c))); and 
(ii) the traditional offshore aqua-
culture knowledge of Tribal and Indige-
nous communities; and 
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(G) the considerations necessary to ac-
count for the effects of climate change pre-
dictive assessments on the siting and operation 
of offshore aquaculture facilities; and 
(2) provide recommendations for legislative or 
administrative action with respect to— 
(A) methods of operation identified under 
paragraph (1)(A); 
(B) mitigating adverse effects identified 
under paragraph (1)(C); 
(C) environmental standards, control rules, 
or reference points that build upon the existing 
public and private standards for the sustain-
ability of offshore aquaculture; and 
(D) ensuring that operators of offshore 
aquaculture facilities adhere to international 
standards 
for 
social 
responsibility, 
public 
health, and equitable labor practices, including 
with respect to sourcing inputs for such facili-
ties. 
SEC. 4. ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FOR OFFSHORE AQUA-
CULTURE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT
OF PROGRAM.—Not earlier 
than 180 days after the date on which the Administrator 
enters into a contract under section 3(a) and not later 
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than 2 years after such date, the Administrator shall es-
tablish an assessment program (in this section referred to 
as the ‘‘assessment program’’) to evaluate the following 
with respect to offshore aquaculture: 
(1) The ability of different commercial-scale fa-
cility designs and operational methods— 
(A) to survive various atmospheric and 
ocean conditions, including high wind speeds or 
high-energy ocean conditions associated with se-
vere weather, without— 
(i) allowing escapes; 
(ii) loss of infrastructure; or 
(iii) wildlife entanglement resulting 
from loss or damaged infrastructure; 
(B) to prevent adverse wildlife impacts, in-
cluding entanglements of large whales, sea tur-
tles, and other species protected under— 
(i) the Endangered Species Act of 
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); and 
(ii) the Marine Mammal Protection 
Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.); 
(C) to prevent adverse impacts on the ma-
rine environment, including impacts to habitat, 
water chemistry, and wildlife; and 
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(D) to avoid adverse impacts on navigation 
and safety to existing ocean users due to off-
shore aquaculture facilities, including require-
ments for operations, navigation, and transit 
associated with such facilities. 
(2) The ability of different technologies to pro-
vide reliable and timely data on offshore aquaculture 
facilities, including visual data and other relevant 
data types, on a regular basis to enable the Adminis-
trator to monitor— 
(A) the compliance of projects with the re-
quirements under subsection (b)(4)(5); 
(B) impacts on the marine environment; 
and 
(C) interference with existing uses of the 
water body in which the project is located. 
(3) The relative risks, benefits, and cost of var-
ious types of offshore aquaculture, including dif-
ferent species of finfish in different geographies and 
under varying climactic and ecological conditions. 
(4) The development of performance standards 
for offshore aquaculture operations. 
(b) SELECTION OF DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.— 
(1) SOLICITATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF APPLI-
CATIONS.—The Administrator shall solicit and ac-
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cept applications for inclusion in the assessment pro-
gram from owners and operators of offshore aqua-
culture demonstration projects, including commer-
cial-scale demonstration projects, that— 
(A) would advance the objectives described 
in subsection (a) and involve objective analyses 
of data; and 
(B) are operating on the date on which the 
application is submitted, were operated in off-
shore waters of the United States or other 
countries at any time during the 15-year period 
preceding the date on which the application is 
submitted (including such projects that are on-
going as of such date), or are proposed to be 
operated. 
(2) NOTICE AND PUBLIC COMMENT.—The Ad-
ministrator shall— 
(A) publish in the Federal Register a no-
tice summarizing each application received 
under this subsection; and 
(B) invite public comments regarding the 
projects proposed in those applications for in-
clusion in the assessment program. 
(3) SPECIALLY AFFECTED ADJACENT COASTAL 
JURISDICTIONS.— 
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(A) 
DESIGNATION.—The 
Administrator 
shall establish a mechanism for identifying and 
designating, with respect to each application for 
a demonstration project received under this 
subsection, the specially affected adjacent coast-
al jurisdiction or jurisdictions. 
(B) NOTICE.—For each application for a 
demonstration project received under this sub-
section, the Administrator shall provide a copy 
of the application to the Governor or executive 
of the State or Tribal government of each spe-
cially affected adjacent coastal jurisdiction des-
ignated with respect to the application under 
subparagraph (A). 
(C) REJECTION AT THE REQUEST OF SPE-
CIALLY AFFECTED ADJACENT COASTAL JURIS-
DICTIONS.—If, during the 60-day period begin-
ning on the date on which a specially affected 
adjacent coastal jurisdiction receives notice of 
an application under subparagraph (B), the 
Governor or executive of the State or Tribal 
government of the jurisdiction requests that the 
Administrator reject the application, the Ad-
ministrator shall reject the application. 
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(4) 
APPROVAL
OF
DEMONSTRATION 
PROJECTS.—The Administrator may approve not 
more than 4 applications for demonstration projects 
under this subsection for inclusion in the assessment 
program. 
(5) REQUIREMENTS.— 
(A) ALL DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—Each demonstra-
tion project approved for inclusion in the 
assessment program— 
(I) shall— 
(aa) cultivate only native 
species that pose a minimal 
threat of harm to wildlife and the 
ecosystem in which the project is 
located; 
(bb) incorporate design and 
operational characteristics that 
minimize the risk of escape, wild-
life entanglement, and adverse 
pollution impacts; 
(cc) have developed and be 
able to implement an escape re-
sponse and infrastructure loss or 
damage plan that minimizes the 
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impact of any escapes or infra-
structure loss or damage on the 
marine environment and on other 
uses of the water body in which 
the project is located; 
(dd) comply with all applica-
ble requirements of— 
(AA) the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act (33 
U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) (com-
monly referred to as the 
‘‘Clean Water Act’’); 
(BB) the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973 (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); 
(CC) the Marine Mam-
mal Protection Act of 1972 
(16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.); 
and 
(DD) the National En-
vironmental Policy Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.); 
(ee) be compatible with, and 
prevent or minimize displacement 
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of, existing uses and users of the 
marine environment in which the 
project is located; 
(ff) conform to best prac-
tices to avoid or minimize the use 
of antibiotics and other pharma-
ceuticals and minimize the re-
lease of such pharmaceuticals 
into the environment; and 
(gg) except as provided in 
clause (ii), be conducted over a 
period of 5 years; and 
(II) shall not— 
(aa) cultivate or otherwise 
use salmon, including king, chi-
nook, coho, chum, sockeye, pink, 
masu, amago, or Atlantic salmon, 
even if such salmon is considered 
a native species; or 
(bb) be sited in any area 
designated by the National Ma-
rine Fisheries Service as critical 
habitat for endangered or criti-
cally endangered wildlife. 
(ii) EXTENSIONS.— 
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(I) IN GENERAL.—As the Admin-
istrator determines appropriate, a 
demonstration project approved for in-
clusion in the assessment program 
may be conducted for a period exceed-
ing 5 years. 
(II) PROPOSALS.—In order to be 
considered for an extension under this 
clause, the owner or operator of a 
demonstration project shall submit to 
the Administrator a proposal explain-
ing the need for the extension. 
(III) NOTICE AND PUBLIC COM-
MENT.—The Administrator shall— 
(aa) publish in the Federal 
Register a notice summarizing 
each proposal received under sub-
clause (II); 
(bb) invite public comments 
regarding each such proposal; 
and 
(cc) consider such comments 
in determining whether to au-
thorize any extension for a dem-
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onstration project under this 
clause. 
(B) NEW
DEMONSTRATION
PROJECTS.— 
Any new demonstration project approved for in-
clusion in the assessment program shall— 
(i) be designed and managed in part-
nership with— 
(I) a land-grant college or univer-
sity (as defined in section 1404 of the 
National Agricultural Research, Ex-
tension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)); 
(II) a 1994 Institution (as de-
fined in section 532 of the Equity in 
Educational Land-Grant Status Act 
of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note; Public 
Law 103–382)); or 
(III) a sea grant college (as de-
fined in section 203 of the National 
Sea Grant College Program Act (33 
U.S.C. 1122)); and 
(ii) consult and coordinate with the 
relevant Regional Fishery Management 
Council. 
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tion, the Administrator shall consider and weigh the 
public comments received pursuant to paragraph 
(2)(B). 
(c) AQUACULTURE OPPORTUNITY AREAS.—The Ad-
ministrator may elect to site a demonstration project ap-
proved for inclusion in the assessment program in an 
Aquaculture Opportunity Area identified by the Secretary 
of Commerce in accordance with section 7 of Executive 
Order 13921 (16 U.S.C. 1801; relating to promoting 
American seafood competitiveness and economic growth). 
(d) PERMITS.— 
(1) FEDERAL AGENCIES.—The owner or oper-
ator of each demonstration project approved for in-
clusion in the assessment program shall obtain all 
necessary and relevant permits issued by Federal 
agencies to conduct activities under the project. 
(2) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC AD-
MINISTRATION.—After the owner or operator of a 
demonstration project obtains the permits described 
in paragraph (1), the Administrator shall issue the 
appropriate permits to allow the project to conduct 
offshore aquaculture activities in accordance with 
this Act. 
(e) REPORTING BY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM PARTICI-
PANTS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The owner or operator of 
each demonstration project approved for inclusion in 
the assessment program shall submit such informa-
tion, at such time, in such place, and in such man-
ner as the Administrator determines appropriate, in-
cluding the following: 
(A) Production data. 
(B) Information on interactions with wild 
species, mitigation measures taken, and the re-
sults of such interactions and measures. 
(C) Information on technology and oper-
ational practices used to measure and mon-
itor— 
(i) effluent; 
(ii) integrity of cage materials and 
other gear; and 
(iii) health of the cultivated species. 
(D) Information on environmental and eco-
system impacts. 
(E) Data necessary for the Ocean Studies 
Board of the National Academies of Sciences, 
Engineering, and Medicine to complete the 
study required by section 3. 
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(F) Information necessary for the Admin-
istrator to exercise the authority of the Admin-
istrator under subsection (f). 
(G) Owner, operator, and employee demo-
graphic data and other relevant data as deter-
mined by the Administrator for purposes of as-
sessing— 
(i) the direct benefits of the project to 
communities with environmental justice 
concerns; and 
(ii) the economic and social benefits 
for nearby coastal communities. 
(H) Information on navigation and safety 
impacts to existing ocean users. 
(I) Such additional information as the Ad-
ministrator requires to fulfill the goals and ob-
jectives of the assessment program. 
(2) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—The Adminis-
trator shall, upon request, provide technical assist-
ance to owners and operators of demonstration 
projects approved for inclusion in the assessment 
program to comply with the reporting requirements 
of this subsection. 
(3) EMERGENCY
REPORTING.—The Adminis-
trator shall establish an emergency reporting process 
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for each owner or operator of a demonstration 
project approved for inclusion in the assessment pro-
gram to immediately report suspected or known 
interactions between project facilities or vessels and 
protected wild species. 
(f) AUTHORITY TO MODIFY OR TERMINATE PARTICI-
PATION OF DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS AND ORDER RE-
MOVAL OF FACILITIES.—The Administrator may require 
modifications to a demonstration project approved for in-
clusion in the assessment program, terminate the partici-
pation of such a project in such program, and order the 
removal of an offshore aquaculture facility authorized to 
operate under this section if— 
(1) the project incurs an incident involving a 
death or serious personal injury and the Adminis-
trator determines that project operator negligence 
was the cause or a contributing factor to such inci-
dent; 
(2) operation of the project results in a viola-
tion of— 
(A) the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); or 
(B) the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 
1972 (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.); 
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(3) the owner or operator of the project fails to 
comply with all of the terms and conditions of— 
(A) the approval of the project; or 
(B) modifications required by the Adminis-
trator under this subsection; or 
(4) the Administrator determines that contin-
ued participation in the assessment program by the 
project would be unsafe or result in unacceptable 
negative impacts to— 
(A) the marine environment; 
(B) nearby communities; or 
(C) other users of the water body in which 
the project is located. 
(g) INTERIM FINAL RULE.—The Administrator may 
issue an interim final rule to implement the requirements 
under this section. 
(h) REPORTS.— 
(1) ANNUAL REPORTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date on which the Administrator es-
tablishes the assessment program, and annually 
thereafter for the duration of the assessment 
program, the Administrator shall publish, make 
available to the public, and submit to offshore 
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aquaculture stakeholders a report that includes 
the following: 
(i) A description of each project ap-
proved for inclusion in the assessment pro-
gram. 
(ii) In the first report, documentation 
supporting selection of each such project. 
(iii) A summary of the information 
submitted to the Administrator under sub-
section (e) for each such project. 
(iv) A description of the progress 
made toward meeting the objectives de-
scribed in subsection (a). 
(B) DEFINITION
OF
OFFSHORE
AQUA-
CULTURE STAKEHOLDERS.—In this paragraph, 
the term ‘‘offshore aquaculture stakeholders’’ 
includes— 
(i) each specially affected adjacent 
coastal jurisdiction; and 
(ii) each affected— 
(I) Tribal or Indigenous commu-
nity; 
(II) regional fishery management 
council; 
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(III) interstate fisheries commis-
sion; 
(IV) conservation organization; 
and 
(V) fisheries association. 
(2) FINAL REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of the completion of the assess-
ment program, the Administrator shall submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress a re-
port describing the results of the assessment 
program. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—The report required by 
subparagraph (A) shall include the following: 
(i) An evaluation based on data from 
the assessment program of the opportuni-
ties and risks of offshore aquaculture re-
garding— 
(I) marine ecosystems; 
(II) other users of the exclusive 
economic zone; 
(III) other ecosystems goods and 
services; 
(IV) social and economic impacts 
to nearby communities, including cu-
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mulative impacts and impacts on com-
munities with environmental justice 
concerns, 
low-income 
communities, 
and communities of color; 
(V) best practices to mitigate 
risks; and 
(VI) best practices to prevent dis-
parate impacts. 
(ii) Such recommendations as the Ad-
ministrator may have for legislative or ad-
ministrative action and the establishment 
of performance standards for offshore 
aquaculture siting and operations that— 
(I) would minimize risks posed 
by offshore aquaculture operations to 
marine ecosystems; 
(II) would enhance the safe oper-
ation of offshore aquaculture facilities, 
service vessels, and associated activi-
ties; 
(III) would prevent displacement 
of existing uses and users; and 
(IV) are technically, operation-
ally, and economically feasible. 
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SEC. 5. AQUACULTURE CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE. 
(a) AQUACULTURE CURRICULUM GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator shall establish a program to award grants to 
covered institutions to assist in establishing or en-
hancing an aquaculture curriculum for under-
graduate or graduate courses of study at such cov-
ered institutions. 
(2) 
AQUACULTURE
CENTERS
OF
EXCEL-
LENCE.—A covered institution that receives a grant 
under this section shall be known as an ‘‘Aqua-
culture Center of Excellence’’. 
(3) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this section, a covered institution shall 
submit to the Administrator an application in such 
form, at such time, and containing such information 
as the Administrator determines appropriate, includ-
ing any plans to partner with 1 or more other insti-
tutions of higher education as authorized under 
paragraph (5). 
(4) USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—A covered institution 
receiving a grant under this section shall use 
the grant amounts to establish or enhance an 
aquaculture curriculum for undergraduate or 
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graduate courses of study that includes the fol-
lowing: 
(i) Training in various skill sets need-
ed 
by 
successful 
aquaculture 
entre-
preneurs, including— 
(I) business management, stra-
tegic planning, business plan develop-
ment, capital financing and fund-
raising, financial management and ac-
counting, market analysis and com-
petitive analysis, and market entry 
and strategy execution; and 
(II) any other skill sets specific 
to the needs of the student population 
and the surrounding community, in-
cluding with respect to social and en-
vironmental sustainability, as deter-
mined by the institution. 
(ii) Natural and social science re-
search programs in aquaculture and nat-
ural fisheries, including offshore aqua-
culture. 
(iii) Development of extension pro-
grams (or cooperation with existing exten-
sion programs) that— 
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(I) educate and engage commu-
nity members, including elementary 
and secondary school students, on 
aquaculture and aquaculture career 
pathways; and 
(II) transfer newly developed 
techniques and research information 
developed or collated at the covered 
institution 
to 
aquaculture 
practi-
tioners. 
(iv) Career development, such as the 
establishment of cooperatives, apprentice-
ships, mentorships, accelerators, or grant 
competitions. 
(B) LIMITATIONS
ON
USE
OF
GRANT 
AMOUNTS.—Amounts from a grant awarded 
under this section may be used only for ex-
penses directly related to the implementation of 
the curriculum or activities authorized under 
this section. 
(5) PARTNERSHIPS.—In applying for grants 
and carrying out activities with grant amounts 
under this section, a covered institution may partner 
with 1 or more other institutions of higher education 
with established aquaculture programs, including in-
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stitutions of higher education not otherwise eligible 
for grants under this section, to facilitate the shar-
ing of resources and knowledge necessary for the de-
velopment or enhancement of aquaculture cur-
riculum at the covered institution. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2027, 
to remain available until expended. 
SEC. 6. REPORT BY GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OF-
FICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall submit to the appropriate com-
mittees of Congress a report examining the permitting, 
monitoring, and regulation of offshore aquaculture during 
the 15-year period ending on such date of enactment. 
(b) BASES OF REPORT.—The Comptroller General 
shall base the report required by subsection (a) on avail-
able literature, case studies, and stakeholder input. 
(c) ELEMENTS OF REPORT.—The report required by 
subsection (a) shall— 
(1) assess the feasibility and potential positive 
and negative implications of designating a lead agen-
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cy to issue offshore aquaculture permits in a timely 
manner; 
(2) identify lessons learned during the period 
described in subsection (a) with respect to— 
(A) the implications of offshore aqua-
culture type, location, and regulatory frame-
work on the success of offshore aquaculture 
projects; 
(B) the degree of involvement of coastal or 
adjacent States, Tribal groups, underserved 
communities, or communities with environ-
mental justice concerns in consultation, plan-
ning, or operations of offshore aquaculture op-
erations; 
(C) safety protocols and risk mitigation 
measures for the permit and oversight processes 
for offshore aquaculture, including— 
(i) escape prevention measures; 
(ii) emergency event response plan-
ning; 
(iii) compliance monitoring, particu-
larly in remote locations; 
(iv) compliance with Federal laws; 
(v) reporting mechanisms to appro-
priate Federal authorities; and 
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(vi) vessel navigation aids to ensure 
navigational safety; 
(D) the effect of incentives to reduce ad-
verse effects or disparate impacts from offshore 
aquaculture operations; 
(E) building and optimizing synergies be-
tween offshore aquaculture and wild-caught 
fishing activities, or offshore, nearshore, and 
onshore aquaculture activities, including market 
development, increasing seafood consumption, 
and shared infrastructure; 
(F) the environmental effects of offshore 
aquaculture operations, including mechanisms 
to prevent harm to the environment, wildlife, or 
human well-being; 
(G) in consultation with the Council Co-
ordination Committee, the net economic and so-
cial benefits of offshore aquaculture projects, 
particularly for nearby communities, including 
underserved communities and communities with 
environmental justice concerns, based on project 
size, regulatory structures, and financing struc-
tures; 
(H) the impact of introducing offshore 
aquaculture products to the marketplace on 
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supply and demand for wild-capture fisheries 
products, and methods for ensuring resiliency 
and growth for both offshore aquaculture and 
wild-capture fisheries products; 
(I) mechanisms to enhance capital invest-
ment, workforce development, and equitable op-
portunity requirements or assistance programs 
in the permit process for offshore aquaculture, 
or to diversify permit applicants; 
(J) outstanding needs for continued re-
search, development, education activities, pro-
grams, and funding regarding offshore aqua-
culture projects and development of the domes-
tic workforce and entrepreneurship related to 
offshore aquaculture; 
(K) the economic potential for both large- 
and small-scale offshore aquaculture operations 
to generate a positive return on investment 
under various regulatory and financing struc-
tures; 
(L) the applicability and sufficiency of ex-
isting regulatory systems for offshore aqua-
culture; and 
(M) existing local, State, Federal, and for-
eign regulatory standards that may serve as 
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models for efficient and effective regulation of 
offshore aquaculture; and 
(3) include such recommendations as the Comp-
troller General may have with respect to future off-
shore aquaculture operations, including with respect 
to— 
(A) regulatory processes necessary for per-
mitting, monitoring, and oversight, including 
processes and techniques related to siting, de-
ployment, operations, and decommissioning; 
(B) potential safeguards, data collection, 
or monitoring required to minimize disparate 
impacts on communities with environmental 
justice concerns, local economies, marine envi-
ronments, and existing domestic economic sec-
tors; 
(C) mechanisms for optimizing the coordi-
nation among Federal agencies with a role in 
permitting or supporting offshore aquaculture 
without compromising the goals of such permit-
ting; 
(D) methods for effectively involving stake-
holders, including— 
(i) specially affected adjacent coastal 
jurisdictions; 
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(ii) local communities; 
(iii) regional offshore waters users 
and management groups, including re-
gional fishery management councils; and 
(iv) users of local, State, Tribal, and 
Federal waters and coastal resources, in-
cluding underserved communities and com-
munities with environmental justice con-
cerns; 
(E) best practices for incorporating local 
knowledge, including from Tribal or Indigenous 
communities; 
(F) capabilities of Federal agencies that 
are necessary for effective regulation of the off-
shore aquaculture sector; and 
(G) how creating private rights of action or 
waiving sovereign immunity would facilitate or 
hinder the development of offshore aquaculture 
projects and the acceptance of such projects by 
nearshore and offshore waters user groups and 
coastal communities. 
SEC. 7. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Any requirement in this Act to identify or consider 
an impact or effect on human health, the environment, 
or the climate shall be construed as including a require-
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ment to make such identification or consideration while 
taking into account— 
(1) the cumulative impact of such impact or ef-
fect in the context of all sources of emissions, dis-
charges, or releases from any source, past, present, 
or in the reasonably foreseeable future, on the af-
fected environment and population; 
(2) any characteristics of such environment and 
population that may heighten vulnerability to envi-
ronmental pollution and related health risks; and 
(3) any action or practice that, even if appear-
ing neutral, has the effect of subjecting individuals 
to discrimination on the basis of race, color, or na-
tional origin. 
Æ 
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