隨著美國環境保護署許可的臨近，公海養魚之戰升溫

隨著美國環境保護署許可的臨近，公海養魚之戰升溫

Americans eat an average of 16 pounds of fish each year, and that number is growing. But how to meet our demand for fish is a controversial question, one that is entering a new chapter as the Environmental Protection Agency seeks to approve the nation's only aquaculture pen in federal waters.

美國人平均每年吃16磅魚，而且這個數字還在增長。但是，如何滿足我們對魚類的需求是一個有爭議的問題，隨著美國環境保護局尋求批準建立美國唯一的聯邦水域水產養殖場，這個問題正在進入一個新的篇章。

Fish farming has been positioned by its boosters as a sustainable alternative to wild-caught seafood and an economic driver that would put our oceans to work. So far, restrictions on where aquaculture operations can be located have kept the U.S. industry relatively small.

養魚業的支持者將其定位為一種野生海產品的可持續替代品，并將使我們的海洋發揮作用的經濟推動力。到目前為止，對水產養殖業經營地點的限制使得美國水產養殖業規模相對較小。

In 2016, domestic aquaculture in state-controlled waters accounted for about $1.6 billion worth of seafood, or about 20 percent of the country's seafood production.

2016年，在國家控制水域的國內水產養殖價值約16億美元，約占該國海產品產量的20%。

States control up to three miles offshore from their coastlines, but between three and 200 miles falls under federal control.

各州控制著距海岸線3英里的海域，但聯邦政府控制著3至200英里的海域。

Attempts to introduce aquaculture in federal waters have so far been stymied by concerns about aquaculture's impact on ocean ecosystems and wild fisheries.

到目前為止，由于擔心水產養殖對海洋生態系統和野生漁業的影響，在聯邦水域引入水產養殖的努力受到了阻礙。

Now the tide could be turning. On Aug. 30, EPA issued a draft permit for a pilot aquaculture project in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida. The project, despite its small scale, would be a watershed moment in the debate surrounding ocean aquaculture, which has divided environmental groups and pitted fishermen who catch wild fish against those who farm.

現在，潮流可能正在變化。8月30日，美國環境保護署發布了一份草案，允許在佛羅里達州海岸外的墨西哥灣開展一個水產養殖試點項目。盡管該項目規模較小，但它將成為圍繞海洋水產養殖辯論中的一個轉折點。海洋水產養殖已使環保團體產生分歧，并使捕撈野生魚類的漁民與養殖魚類的漁民產生對立。

It is also the latest chapter in a long battle about which agency should regulate ocean aquaculture.

這也是有關哪個機構應該監管海洋水產養殖這一長期斗爭的最新篇章。

The pilot project would allow Kampachi Farms, a veteran aquaculture company, to raise 20,000 Almaco jack fish in a net pen in the ocean 45 miles southwest of Sarasota.

該試點項目將允許經驗豐富的水產養殖公司坎帕奇農場在薩拉索塔西南45英里的海洋中用網圈養殖2萬條長鰭魚。

Kampachi Farms previously established aquaculture pens in state-controlled waters off the coast of Hawaii and in Mexico's Gulf of California. Kampachi CEO Neil Anthony Sims says the Gulf of Mexico pilot project is essential to helping aquaculture's critics understand the many upsides of bringing open ocean fish farming to the U.S.

坎帕奇農場以前在夏威夷海岸和加利福尼亞灣國家控制的水域建立了水產養殖圍欄?？才了故紫瘓绦泄倌釥?middot;安東尼·西姆斯表示，墨西哥灣的試點項目對于幫助水產養殖的批評者了解將開放海洋養魚業引入美國的諸多好處至關重要

"First and foremost, we want to be able to demonstrate to the Florida fishing that offshore aquaculture can be a real positive benefit," says Sims.

西姆斯說:“最重要的是，我們希望能夠向佛羅里達州的漁業證明，近海水產養殖可以帶來真正的積極的效益。”