Impact Assessment, Inc.
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2013-2014)
Reporting Period: 2013-2014
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Environmental
- Social
- Governance
Environmental Achievements
- Studies indicate that impacts to water quality, benthos, micro and macrofauna communities related to nutrient pollution and fish metabolic functions are minimal in offshore locations where greater mixing occurs because of stronger currents and greater depths
Social Achievements
- Marine aquaculture training programs for commercial fishermen have been conducted in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts
- Successful permitting of two shellfish farms in federal waters off California and Massachusetts
Governance Achievements
- The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council began, in 2004, developing guidelines whereby aquaculture could be permitted for the federal waters of Gulf of Mexico.
- In 2014, two shellfish farms sited in federal waters off California and Massachusetts’ Nantucket Sound were permitted.
Climate Goals & Targets
Environmental Challenges
- Concerns regarding the potential impact to marine ecosystems, capture fisheries, and various ocean user groups have stalled the implementation of formal policy for guiding aquaculture activities in the nation’s federal waters.
- Uncertain regulatory climate has complicated the development of an industry.
- Public opposition to operations sited in state waters and declines in state and federal funding for aquaculture research and development programs may impede the continued development of open ocean aquaculture in the near future.
- High costs of preparing information required for the permitting open ocean net pen operations
- Difficulty obtaining capital and access to investment funding.
Mitigation Strategies
- The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Plan for Offshore Aquaculture represents one regional approach to creating a permitting framework for aquaculture operations in federal waters.
- Technological advancements in cages are enabling expansion into open ocean environments.
- Studies indicate that impacts to water quality, benthos, micro and macrofauna communities related to nutrient pollution and fish metabolic functions are minimal in offshore locations where greater mixing occurs because of stronger currents and greater depths
- IMTA is being promoted as a mitigation strategy for nutrient impacts.
Supply Chain Management
Responsible Procurement
- Concerns regarding the use of wild forage species in aquaculture feed