Aquaculture in North America: The Pros, the Cons, and the Uncertainties

Aquaculture is a rapidly growing industry internationally, and a topic of hot debate in North America. A deep tension exists between an ecological ethic that has saved countless lives since the implementation of the Clean Water Act, and the stark reality that an expanding population will demand more protein. This research looks at the costs and benefits of aquaculture in North America from an economic perspective, by first exploring the microeconomics of some types of modern aquaculture installations, then by looking at some of the numbers put forth by government, industry, and non-governmental organizations as they relate to the larger-scale profits, costs, and consequences of aquaculture as we know it today. Finally, the presentation looks at aquaculture from a globalized context, to explore what role North American aquaculture might play on a world stage competing against producers with very different environmental, labor, and safe food policies.