I
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4853
To amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act and the Coastal
Zone Management Act of 1972 to enhance marine aquaculture in the
United States, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 28, 1994
Mr. STUDDS (for himself, Mr. REED, and Mr. HUGHES) introduced the follow-
ing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Merchant Marine and
Fisheries
A BILL
To amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act
and the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to en-
hance marine aquaculture in the United States, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Marine Aquaculture
Enhancement Act of 1994’’.
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SEC. 2. MARINE AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, DEVELOP-
MENT, AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PRO-
GRAM.
The National Sea Grant College Program Act (33
U.S.C. 1121 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section
206 the following:
‘‘SEC. 206A. MARINE AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, DEVELOP-
MENT, AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PRO-
GRAM.
‘‘(a) MARINE AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, DEVELOP-
MENT, AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM.—The
national sea grant college program under section 204 shall
include a marine aquaculture research, development, and
technology transfer program (in this section referred to
as the ‘Program’) under which the Secretary, acting
through the Director, shall make grants and enter into
contracts in accordance with this section, and engage in
other activities authorized under this Act, to further re-
search, development, education, and technology transfer in
marine aquaculture and accelerate the development,
growth, and commercialization of the domestic marine
aquaculture industry.
‘‘(b) PROGRAM SCOPE.—The Program shall include
research, development, technology transfer, education, and
marine advisory programs that address at least the follow-
ing:
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‘‘(1) The development of domestic marine aqua-
culture products that are commercially competitive
in the world market.
‘‘(2) Fundamental biological knowledge that is
needed for domesticating and commercializing ma-
rine species that are candidates for aquaculture.
‘‘(3) Environmentally safe technologies, meth-
ods, and systems for culturing marine species in the
coastal environment.
‘‘(4) Aquaculture technologies that are compat-
ible with other uses of the sea.
‘‘(5) Application of marine biotechnology to
aquaculture.
‘‘(6) Methods for addressing and resolving con-
flicts between marine aquaculture and other uses of
the coastal environment.
‘‘(7) Comparative studies of State practices re-
garding the regulation and promotion of marine
aquaculture, so as to identify interstate conflicts and
issues.
‘‘(c) SEA GRANT MARINE ADVISORY SERVICES.—
The Secretary shall maintain within the Marine Advisory
Service, the capability to transfer relevant technologies
and information to the marine aquaculture industry. Par-
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ticular emphasis shall be given to the matters referred to
in subsection (b) (1) through (7).
‘‘(d) ADMINISTRATION.—In carrying out the Pro-
gram, the Director shall—
‘‘(1) coordinate and administer the relevant ac-
tivities of the sea grant colleges and any advisory
committee or review panel established under sub-
section (f);
‘‘(2) consult with the Joint Subcommittee on
Aquaculture and the aquaculture industry to identify
program priorities and needs and, to the extent pos-
sible, undertake collaborative efforts; and
‘‘(3) provide general oversight to ensure that
the Program produces the highest quality research,
education, and technology transfer and leads to op-
portunities for business development, the commer-
cialization of marine aquaculture products, and jobs
creation.
‘‘(e) GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Director, subject to
the availability of appropriations, shall award grants
and contracts in accordance with procedures, re-
quirements, and restrictions under section 205 (c)
and (d) for aquaculture education, technology trans-
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fer, and advisory projects based on a competitive re-
view of—
‘‘(A) their respective scientific, technical,
and educational merits; and
‘‘(B) their likelihood of producing informa-
tion and technology which lead to the growth,
development, and commercialization of the ma-
rine aquaculture industry.
‘‘(2) SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS.—In addition to
requirements applicable under section 205, applica-
tions for grants and contracts under this subsection
shall be—
‘‘(A) received, evaluated, and selected by
the appropriate directors of sea grant colleges;
‘‘(B) forwarded by those directors to the
Director; and
‘‘(C) evaluated by a review panel estab-
lished in accordance with subsection (f).
‘‘(3) FUNDING.—Grants made and contracts
entered into under this section shall be funded with
amounts available from appropriations made pursu-
ant to the authorization provided for under section
212(c), except that if the project under a grant or
contract was considered and approved, in whole or
part, under grant or contract authority provided for
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under section 205 (a) or (b) or section 3 of the Sea
Grant Program Improvement Act of 1976, the grant
or contract shall be funded from amounts available
to carry out that section.
‘‘(f) MARINE AQUACULTURE REVIEW PANELS.—
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT AND DUTIES.—The Di-
rector, in consultation with the directors of a sea
grant college and representatives of the marine
aquaculture industry, shall establish such advisory
committees and review panels as may be necessary
to carry out this section.
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.—At least 25 percent of the
members of any advisory committee or review panel
established under this subsection shall be appointed
from among representatives of the marine aqua-
culture industry.
‘‘(3) ACCESS TO EVALUATIONS OF GRANTS AND
CONTRACTS.—The Director shall provide to each ad-
visory committee and review panel established under
this subsection copies of appropriate grant and con-
tract application evaluations prepared by directors of
sea grant colleges under subsection (e)(2)(A).
‘‘(g) MARINE AQUACULTURE DEFINED.—As used in
this section, the term ‘marine aquaculture’ means aqua-
culture which is conducted in controlled or other tidal