What are Alaska’s leaders saying about the offshore aquaculture legislation?
Governor Sarah Palin: Until equivalent measures are in place that assures protection of Alaska’s wild stocks, Alaskans will not support offshore aquaculture development off of Alaska’s shores. (March 15, 2007). The State requests “a five-year moratorium on new offshore aquaculture development until environmental and socio-economic impacts are adequately developed.” Specifically, the State of Alaska requests prohibitions on “farming of certain species, particularly salmon, halibut and black cod.” (March 15, 2007) Senator Lisa Murkowski: “If we simply take dollars away from the existing commercial fishing industry and move them over to the aquaculture industry, are we really creating new commerce?” asked Lisa Murkowski (“A fight about fish farms,” by Marc Gunther Fortune, June 8, 2007.) Senator Murkowski has introduced a moratorium bill that would prohibit any permitting or development of offshore aquaculture projects until in depth research has been conducted into the environmental and
