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The National Aquaculture Association (NAA) is hosting a Special Session during Aquaculture America 2015 on February 22 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm that is devoted to the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  Paul Zajicek, Development Director for the NAA, commented, “This is the first time that representatives from the two federal agencies that implement the ESA have jointly presented. Potential effects of the ESA on US aquaculture cannot be understated and US aquaculturists should attend.”

US aquaculture can be effected when species are listed or when habitat use is restricted to support species recovery. As examples, the pending public petitions to list species under the authority of the ESA have included fish cultured in the United States such as the Siberian, Russian, Persian and sterlet sturgeons, orange clownfish, and dwarf seahorse.  Shellfish farm location has been effected by critical habitat designations in Southwest Florida to protect the smalltooth sawfish, the Gulf Coast to protect the Gulf of Mexico sturgeon, and Southeast Florida to protect Johnson’s sea grass. Salmon farmers in the Northeast have experienced considerable additional expense and regulation to continue farming Atlantic salmon when Atlantic salmon of the Gulf of Maine were listed.  Shellfish farming gear and practices are restricted to prevent the entanglement of sea turtles, manatees, and smalltooth sawfish.  The effects of a recent Pacific and Caribbean hard coral listing are yet to be known for farmers that culture aquarium species.  Fish that have been listed such as the shortnose and Beluga sturgeons, Nassau grouper, Banggai cardinalfish and US populations of the Atlantic sturgeon have effectively prohibited commercial culture and trade of these species.

The Special Session on the Endangered Species Act will feature speakers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries that will present information on the listing process, endangered versus threatened species listings, distinct population segments, take prohibitions and how the ESA and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) interact.

For additional information about the Special Session, please call or email the NAA office.  For information about Aquaculture America 2015, please visit: https://www.was.org/meetings/default.aspx?Code=AA2015.