Seafood farming, also known as aquaculture, requires more than just the bay and the ocean. Hatcheries, rearing ponds and other facilities are needed to ensure the fish, shellfish and aquatic plants make it through their lifecycles and to market. The Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee recognized this on Thursday, clearing a bill sponsored by Assemblyman Alex Sauickie to add the associated structures to the state’s definition of aquaculture. 

“This bill clarifies that all parts of the aquaculture business, from the marine-based farms to the land-based structures like tanks, incubators and other equipment are regulated the same way. Just as a barn is necessary for local produce growers, a hatchery is essential to a seafood farmer,” Sauickie (R-Ocean) said. 

With about 65 mollusk farms, most of the aquaculture in New Jersey is shellfish production, primarily hard clams and Eastern oysters. Approximately 30% of the remaining aquaculture operations harvest trout, baitfish, koi and aquatic plants. 

“New Jersey’s coastal communities are home to thriving aquaculture businesses that not only cultivate sustainable seafood for our stores and restaurants but also contribute to what is now a $1 billion industry,” Sauickie said. “Making it easier for seafood farmers to do business in New Jersey, as this bill does, attracts investment, which supports our local and state economies.” 

Photo from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.