The first commercial offshore fish farm in the U.S. may open less than four miles off the coast of San Diego. Three miles, the legal definition of offshore, is where federal waters start and regulation by state and local municipalities ends.
The Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (HSRI), a research non-profit partially funded by SeaWorld, is partnering with unidentified investors in the Pacific Ocean Aquafarms (POA) Project, a complex of open fish pens that could bring more than 10 million pounds of seafood to market every year.
HSRI claims no specific offshore location has been chosen yet. However, during an Aug. 20 briefing delivered by HSRI president/CEO Don Kent to the San Diego Fishermen’s Working Group, a grassroots lobbying organization, a location was clearly identified in a slide as a half-mile north-to-south, and 1.5 miles east-to-west in an area 3.73 miles off Mission Beach.
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