Seeking Public Comments on Where to Look for New Aquaculture Opportunity Areas

NOAA is seeking public input on where to focus while searching places to begin the process of identifying Aquaculture Opportunity Areas. We are requesting relevant information on specific issues and areas we should consider for future Aquaculture Opportunity Areas.

The deadline for comments is September 14, 2026. You can submit comments through the Federal Register via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Visit https://www.regulations.gov and type NOAA-NMFS-2026-2179 in the Search box.

Aquaculture Opportunity Areas are defined geographic areas that have been evaluated to determine their potential suitability for commercial aquaculture. The AOA identification process takes into account the potential environmental, economic, and social impacts of identifying AOAs and siting aquaculture in those locations drawing from extensive scientific review and analysis. Public input is critical to this process.

Public Listening Sessions

As part of the comment period NOAA will also host three public listening sessions.

Register for a Public Listening Session

English:

• Thursday, August 6 from 9:00-10:00pm EDT / 6:00-7:00pm PDT / 3:00-4:00pm HST / 11am-12pm CHst +1day
• Thursday, August 13 from 6:00-7:00pm EDT / 3:00-4:00pm PDT / 12:00pm-1pm HST / 8am-9am CHst, +1day

English and Spanish:

• Monday, August 31 from 3:00-4:00pm EDT / 12:00pm-1:00pm PDT / 9:00am-10:00am HST

Make Your Voice Heard

We are requesting data, comments, views, information, analysis, or suggestions from the public to support the identification of AOAs in U.S. waters. Specifically, we are interested in learning from this input about:

• Regions of the country where NOAA should consider analyzing for potential Aquaculture Opportunity Areas
• The types of aquaculture these areas may or may not support
• Water depths and distances from shore that should be considered
• Locations where the presence of aquaculture gear may overlap with areas used by fishing operations and other commercial users
• Locations where aquaculture gear may overlap with protected species like whales, dolphins, and sea turtles
• Areas that may be important for subsistence harvest or other cultural resources
• Areas that may be important for outdoor recreation or conserving natural resources

Americans imported an estimated $12 billion in farmed seafood in 2024, about half of the $25 billion in total seafood imports. Aquaculture creates jobs, uplifts coastal economies, and complements wild-capture fisheries. It provides healthy and sustainable seafood to American families-bolstering domestic food security.

Past and Ongoing Aquaculture Opportunity Areas

In 2020, NOAA sought input on regions to begin searching for Aquaculture Opportunity Areas. California and the Gulf of America (previously Mexico) were selected as the first regions for focused evaluation. In 2025, we completed this process by identifying 13 areas in the Gulf and off Southern California totaling more than 21,000 acres in federal waters as Aquaculture Opportunity Areas.

We are also working to identify Aquaculture Opportunity Areas in Alaska state waters. In February 2026, the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science published an Atlas identifying 77 options, ranging from 50 to 2,000 acres, for Aquaculture Opportunity Area identification across 10 study areas in Gulf of Alaska state waters.

This work supports Executive Order 13921 on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth.