Blue Ocean Mariculture indigenous Hawaiian Kanpachi farm, near Keahole Point in Kona, Hawaii, the only offshore mariculture farm in the United States.
Photo: Blue Ocean Mariculture / Cuna del Mar.
A bipartisan bill that empowers the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to strengthen offshore aquaculture in the United States and expand it in a sustainable, science-based, and environmentally responsible way was introduced last week in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Led by Mike Ezell, Republican Representative for Mississippi, the Marine Aquaculture Research and Advancement (MARA) Act of 2025 also has the support of Kat Cammack, a Republican too and Representative for Florida, and Democrats Ed Case, Representative for Hawaii, and Jimmy Panetta, Representative for California.
According to the statement issued by Ezell, who is also Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, as the global demand for seafood continues to rise, this Act establishes a clear federal framework to help the U.S. become a leader in offshore aquaculture while protecting marine ecosystems and involving coastal communities in the process.
"The MARA Act ensures that as we grow our offshore aquaculture sector, we do it the right way with science, transparency, and public engagement at the center," the Mississippi Representative said.
"This bill puts the U.S. on a path to food security, environmental stewardship, and coastal economic development. Offshore aquaculture, when done responsibly, holds enormous potential to feed more people, create jobs, and protect wild fisheries. The MARA Act gives us the tools to lead the world in sustainable seafood production," Ezell added.
Fellow Republican Kat Cammack expressed in the same vein. "America should be leading the world in responsible, sustainable seafood production, not outsourcing it," she said. "The MARA Act will strengthen our food security, support our coastal communities, and ensure that growth in aquaculture off our shores happens the right way—with transparency, science, and accountability."
Regarding the key provisions of this new proposed bill to strengthen sustainable offshore aquaculture in the United States, its promoters highlighted four fundamental points:
Expands Scientific Research. The new Act mandates NOAA to conduct and support research on sustainable offshore aquaculture practices and their environmental impact.
Streamlines Permitting. This MARA Act improves coordination between agencies to develop an efficient and transparent permitting process based on science and stakeholder input.
Invests in Workforce and Infrastructure. Likewise, it also supports training programs and infrastructure development to prepare the U.S. workforce for the opportunities offered by this growing sector.
Builds Guardrails for Responsible Growth. The bill emphasizes environmental stewardship, public engagement, and accountability throughout the development of offshore aquaculture projects.
As mentioned above, the Marine Aquaculture Research Act for America introduced by Ezell, Cammack, Case and Panetta is the second bipartisan MARA Act proposed in recent months.
As reported by WeAreAquaculture, in August, U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, a Republican from Mississippi, and Brian Schatz, a Democrat from Hawaii, introduced the Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act of 2025 in the U.S. Senate, intending to strengthen the capabilities of the aquaculture industry and its technical workforce.
The Senate's twin MARA Act proposed enabling NOAA's Office of Aquaculture to authorize offshore aquaculture, streamline the approval process for offshore aquaculture operations, and create Centers of Excellence in Aquaculture, which would consequently foster growth in the sector.
"This legislation would promote seafood production in the United States and would decrease American reliance on seafood imports," Senator Wicker stated at the time.
"Offshore aquaculture can help meet growing seafood demand, support coastal economies, and reduce imports," added Senator Schatz. "Our bill will support the responsible assessment of offshore aquaculture by expanding research and supporting workforce and infrastructure development."
Although each with its own nuances, the shared goal of both MARA Acts to strengthen sustainable offshore aquaculture in the U.S. has been well received by various stakeholders, such as aquaculture advocates or educational institutions, like the University of Southern Mississippi.
On behalf of the latter, Kelly Lucas, Vice President for Research at the University of Southern Mississippi, applauded Senators Wicker and Schatz for their bipartisan leadership in advancing aquaculture policy through the introduction of the Senate's MARA Act in August.
"By investing in responsible aquaculture, workforce development, and collaborative innovation, this legislation ensures that the U.S. leads in sustainable seafood production while safeguarding our ocean ecosystems," she then said.
Now, Ezell's release on the U.S. House of Representatives MARA Act also recalled that the Marine Aquaculture Research and Advancement Act is supported by a broad coalition of environmental organizations, aquaculture researchers, and industry stakeholders committed to building a sustainable future for the United States' oceans and coastal communities.
Among them is the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture, which includes well-known industry players such as, for example, Aqua-Spark, Tidal, SAGE, Pine Island Redfish, or Blue Ocean Mariculture, the only offshore mariculture farm in the U.S.
It is also the Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS), which includes well-known members too, with examples such as Cargill, Innovasea, High Liner Foods, Cuna del Mar, or Ocean 14 Capital, among others.
Thus, Maddie Voorhees, from the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture, thanked Representative Ezell for his leadership on this legislation, which she said invests in the science and innovation needed to ensure that U.S. aquaculture grows responsibly, supporting communities, creating jobs, and protecting marine resources for the future.
"The Marine Aquaculture Research for America Act is a forward-looking, bipartisan step toward strengthening America's seafood supply and coastal economies while ensuring ocean health remains a top priority," the representative of the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture stated.
"We thank Reps. Ezell and Ed Case for their leadership in introducing the MARA Act in the U.S. House, legislation that is necessary to support the expansion of American aquaculture," said, for her part, Drue Banta Winters, campaign manager of Stronger America Through Seafood.
"This bill is an important step forward as the U.S. seeks to increase the supply of sustainable seafood coming into U.S. ports. Open ocean aquaculture would work in complement with our nation's wild fisheries to help increase America's seafood supply, create jobs across the seafood supply chain, and spur investment in coastal communities," the SATS representative concluded.
