Google parent Alphabet's Tidal X project is one of the new members of the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture (CSA), a group that promotes offshore aquaculture in US waters.
"There is an urgent need to protect the ocean while feeding humanity sustainably,” said Neil Dave, general manager of Tidal, of why his group became a member.
Founded by NGO Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) along with nine other environmental and industry groups and 21 chefs last July, the coalition says it is working to "chart a responsible path forward for a safe, sustainable, and science-based offshore aquaculture industry in US waters."
Last year it also endorsed new legislation that would require the US Government Accountability Office to produce a report detailing permitting, monitoring and regulatory options for governing offshore aquaculture in the United States.
“Tidal is pleased to join the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture with EDF and the other members to support and lead the way in creating technological advancements, monitoring, and ocean modeling that will contribute to this outcome," Dave said.
The group, which is separate from the lobbyist group Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS), also includes co-founding member Minorities in Aquaculture and also recently added Blue Ocean Mariculture, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, Lusamerica Seafood, Ocean Era, and Pacific6 to its list of members.
"The new CSA members are joining the coalition at a critical time in the development of offshore aquaculture," the coalition said. "With the new 118th Congress underway, policymakers and legislators are considering best practices, lessons learned from industry, and legislation such as the Science-backed Equitable Aquaculture Food Act (SEAfood Act) that will lay the foundation for a sustainable aquaculture economy in US waters."
Similar requests have been made through SATS' long-stalled Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture (AQUAA) Act, which aims to provide a federal framework for permitting and regulating US offshore aquaculture.
In 2020, Mowi, the world's largest salmon producer, worked with Alphabet to roll out sensing technology to multiple sites in Norway.
The advanced underwater sensing and software analysis platform developed by Alphabet's Tidal X project gathers intelligence on real-time growth, weight distribution, feeding control, and automatic lice counting for salmon.
Read more
- So you think a social media influencer can help you sell seafood? Here are some things you need to know first
- Aqua-Spark: Investors are finally discovering 'the real opportunity' in aquaculture
- 'Things clicked': Seafood-focused private equity firm receives $30 million from furniture giant IKEA's investment arm
- The US can be a leader in aquaculture. Our plan lays the groundwork for how to get there.
