NAVIGATING OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE THROUGH A SEA OF OCEAN COMMERCE: A STUDY OF TRAFFIC AND OCEAN USE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Lisa C. Wickliffe*, Kenneth L. Riley, and James A. Morris, Jr. JHT, Inc.
NOAA National Ocean Service
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Coastal Aquaculture Siting and Sustainability 101 Pivers Island Road
Beaufort, North Carolina 28516  lisa.wickliffe@noaa.gov
 

Ocean planning for aquaculture in U.S. waters requires complex spatial analyses to address the number and diversity of existing ocean uses and farm siting requirements. At a minimum, classification of activities in the ocean region and assessment of cumulative impacts and interactions over time and space is required to harmonize sustainability goals within our regulatory framework. Siting efforts for finfish operations in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) (planning) and Southern California (SoCal) (permitting) to date have required multi-agency collaborations to assess farm siting alternatives within the regions, a process that ensures minimal impact across multiple ocean uses and resources such as navigation, military, industrial and commercial operations, fishing, protected species, sensitive habitats, and conflicts with major recreational uses. Using the GoM and SoCal as case studies, we will demonstrate the importance of spatial data type and analytical approaches that are tailored specifically for coastal managers during various stages of the permitting process. For example, we will illustrate a navigational interference analyses using vessel tracking data (ship identification, position, course, speed) to assess potential marine traffic conflicts among various siting alternatives off the California coast.