November 1, 2000
SUBJECT: Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture 2000 Activities
TO: Deborah Crawford, Executive Secretary, NSTC Committee on Science
FROM: Meryl Broussard, Chair, Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture
Gary Jensen, Executive Secretary, Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture
This CS Subcommittee on Aquaculture serves as the Federal interagency coordinating body to increase the overall effectiveness and productivity of Federal research, technology transfer, and assistance programs in support of a globally competitive, technologically advanced, and environmentally sound aquaculture industry in the United States. The subcommittee meets quarterly and several Working Groups and Task Forces under this subcommittee convene as needed to address specific issues of national scope and importance. Information regarding the subcommittee, activities undertaken by it and output generated as a result of interagency coordination can be accessed at:
http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/aquanic/jsa/index.htm
The subcommittee is completing the revision of the National Aquaculture Development Plan, wich identifies high priority Federal government actions necessary to support the progressive development of aquaculture in the United States. The implementation section of the Plan is being finalized by federal agencies with authorities and jurisdictions that correspond to key action items identified in the strategic component of the Plan. The draft of the Plan will be distributed for final stakeholder review, with the final Plan submitted to the National Science and Technology Council in early 2001. The Plan will provide a federal framework for addressing the critical needs and opportunities for the aquaculture industry, with expected outputs, impacts, and agency responsibilities clearly identified.
The subcommittee has also initiated the update of the Aquaculture Research and Development Plan first submitted to the NSTC in 1994. This plan outlines the Federal research and technology development agenda for aquaculture.
The subcommittee’s Aquaculture Effluents Task Force is assisting EPA in the development of national effluent guidelines. The task force convened a Technical Information Exchange Forum hosted by DOC-NOAA that included the participation of each of the task force’s 14 technical subgroups. The task force is assisting EPA in developing industry profiles and assessing options to gather economic and technical information that will be used to develop the national effluent guidelines. The task force provides a vehicle for coordination and facilitation of stakeholder inputs with participants representing broad interests, experiences and expertise. Funds have been acquired from DOC-NOAA and USDA-CSREES to support task force activities. The next meeting of the task force is January 2001. The task force maintains a web page to inform the public of activities, progress and future meetings:
http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/aquanic/jsa/effluents/index.html
The subcommittees Working Group on Quality Assurance in Aquaculture Production, formed in 1990, continues to support the coordination of nation-wide efforts to gain approvals of needed new animal drugs for aquaculture. A five-year strategic plan was developed that guides and prioritizes activities. The working groups is assisting FDA in validating a crop grouping approach for new animal drug approvals through collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including several Federally-supported initiatives and FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM). A National Coordinator for New Animal Drug Approvals for Aquaculture facilitates data development and collection in support of new animal drug approvals in consultation with FDA-CVM. This working group also supports industry quality assurance programs that have been developed by numerous aquaculture organizations. The next meeting of the working group is January 2001.
The subcommittee’s Shrimp Virus Task Force continues to coordinate Federal activities in risk assessment and management of exotic shrimp viruses in wild and farm raised shrimp. The task force is developing management options and plans to protect both wild and cultured marine shrimp. The proceedings of the first management workshop sponsored by the task force are being finalized. The task force will host a second technical and management workshop in 2001.
In 2001, the subcommittee plans to release a revision of the popular JSA publication, "Guide to Drug, Vaccine and Pesticide Use in Aquaculture" as an electronic publication, establish an Aquatic Animal Health Task Force, assist DOC in developing a code of conduct for responsible offshore aquaculture, and convene a special session at the upcoming Aquaculture 2001 international conference and exposition that highlights the subcommittee’s activities and Federal programs related to aquaculture.