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NOAA & Canada’s Department of Fisheries & Oceans Partner on Regulation of Aquaculture

Courtesy of NOAA:

Today NOAA is announcing a new partnership with the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to undertake greater cooperation in environmental management of the marine aquaculture sector and identify potential areas for further regulatory coordination. The partnership is part of a broader initiative known as the Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC), launched by  President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Harper in 2011 to encourage smarter and more effective approaches to regulation in the U.S. and Canada. The initiative aims to make the U.S. and Canadian economies stronger and more competitive, while meeting the fundamental responsibilities to protect safety and welfare of citizens.

Over the next three years, NOAA and DFO will work together in three main areas of marine aquaculture:  comparing regulatory objectives and outcomes of net pen aquaculture, cooperating on farmed to wild fish interactions, and cooperating on regulatory oversight and management of offshore aquaculture. This is the first formal arrangement on marine aquaculture between the two countries.

“We are pleased to further our relationship with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans on Marine Aquaculture,” said Dr. Michael Rubino, Director of the NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture. “Both countries are committed to ensuring sound environmental management of the marine aquaculture sector and that regulations are efficient and effective.  It’s clear we can learn a lot from one another by working more closely with one another.”

To review the NOAA-DFO Regulatory Partnerships Statement and Technical Work Plan click here.

For questions or inquiries, please contact Robert Jones at 301-427-8338.

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