Title
Adopt City Council Resolution Approving Federal Earmark Fund Request to Establish Municipal Ocean Water Infrastructure to Support Aquariums, Research, and Aquaculture Blue Economy Innovation Hub
Summary
The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has been engaged in aquaculture policy on a national level, as aquaculture enhances the quality, safety, and sustainability of seafood. Entrepreneurs who wish to start aquaculture businesses face numerous barriers, the most obvious being the complexity, expense and lengthy process of permitting ocean water intake/discharge. EDF is supporting a request for federal earmark funds to San Jose State University and Moss Landing Marine Laboratory to administer to the City of Fort Bragg, Kashia Band of Pomo, and the Port of San Diego's Aquaculture & Blue Technology Program. If awarded, the City would use these funds for the environmental review associated with establishing a municipal ocean water infrastructure to serve aquariums, research, and aquaculture.