AquacultureAquaculture, the controlled farming of aquatic organisms, is a growing industry in many parts of the world.
In 2006, nearly 50% of the seafood produced worldwide was farm-raised; however, the United States continues to import over 80% of its seafood from other
countries. Catfish, oysters, trout, salmon, and clams make up the majority of domestically farmed seafood.
NOAA supports the development of marine aquaculture as a means to meet the ever increasing demand for
seafood products in the United States. Freshwater aquaculture production has outpaced marine aquaculture (mariculture) production because the larval
stages and feeding requirements of marine fish are more complex, the costs associated with both onshore and offshore mariculture are greater, and the
regulations governing offshore mariculture are still being developed. NOAA's Aquaculture Program currently addresses all aspects of coastal and onshore
marine shellfish and finfish culture. NOAA's program also includes enhancement of important commercial and recreational fisheries, as well as some
endangered species restoration. As it develops in the United States, offshore aquaculture will be one component of that broader program.
The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office (NCBO) conducts the work of the national NOAA Aquaculture Program on a
regional scale. NCBO staff work with NOAA's Coastal Zone Management Programs, regulatory agencies, scientists, and local governments to enhance
interagency coordination in the management of mariculture, to balance the uses of coastal and ocean resources, and to minimize user conflicts. NCBO also
assists with the development of research proposals to: investigate new culture approaches and techniques through pilot projects, improve best management
practices, and, as with the Shellfish Aquaculture Planning Project (2007-08) 
, engage key stakeholders to help guide future investments and the development of the industry.
In the Chesapeake Bay, as in the rest of the United States, freshwater aquaculture is more common than marine
aquaculture. Marine aquaculture production in the region is dominated by shellfish, mainly oysters and clams. In addition to commercial shellfish aquaculture,
oyster restoration projects in Virginia and Maryland have created a demand for large quantities of “spat-on-shell” oysters. These are usually hatchery reared
oyster larvae that have settled onto oyster shell. The hatchery produced spat-on-shell oysters are then put in the Bay to help revitalize the wild population.
The demand for hatchery produced oysters for restoration will likely lead to growth in production for commercial markets as well.
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