So, you think imported oil is a national problem? How about the seafood you had for dinner? Much of it comes from China and that might not be a good long term strategy. Ocean planning could be part of a solution.

“84% of the seafood we consume is imported and half of that comes from China, but the Chinese have said that soon – and that means in 2, or maybe 3 years, they expect to become net importers of seafood,” Dr. Jerry Schubel, president and CEO, Aquarium of the Pacific, told OC180NEWS. “The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration wants to promote aquaculture in the United States, so we can begin to meet a greater percentage of seafood demand, and California could be a leader in that.”

But, It’s not just about developing aquaculture in California coastal waters. Dr. Schubel told us there are potential wind and wave power opportunities off California, all of which compete with recreational use of coastal areas and could conflict with environmental protection.

Dr. Schubel indicated that while some environmentalists have some concern about fish farming in local waters, if it is done right, there would be no reason for concern. He said about half of the fish we import is farm raised and that involves its own set of concerns. Not the least of such concerns is the presence of bacteria contamination in Chinese farm raised seafood.

Such contamination can happen when the fish are too crowded in the pens. While this is only an example, it illustrates the need for tight regulation and controls, but that does not mean it cannot be done safely.

Earlier this week, the Aquarium of the Pacific in collaboration with the University of Southern California Sea Grant gathered about forty experts from across the conservation, scientific, government, and commercial sectors to discuss the implementation of coastal marine spatial planning (CMSP) in the ocean waters off the coast of Southern California.

A national interagency Ocean Policy Task Force has been formed to provide recommendations for stewardship of the ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes. The task force defines CMSP as a comprehensive, ecosystem-based, and transparent spatial planning process for analyzing uses of ocean areas. It identifies areas most suitable for various types of activities in order to reduce conflicts among uses and benefit both economic and environmental health. CMSP has been implemented by some European countries, Australia, and China, as well as two states in the U.S., Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Participants in the Aquarium’s CMSP forum agreed that as the population in Southern California grows over coming decades and pressures on the economy and ecosystem increase, the need for proper management of human activity and protection of marine life in the Southern California Bight will be paramount. They also emphasized the need for public education and involvement in the process. CMSP could provide the means with which to allocate areas for recreation and tourism, habitat protection, indigenous peoples’ traditional maritime uses, and conservation efforts, as well as for renewable energy, aquaculture, biofuel, and commercial and recreational fisheries development—some of which could potentially be collocated in shared areas.

Dr. Schubel told OC180NEWS he will immediately begin the public education campaign by talking about CMSP in the many lectures given at AOP. In addition, the next step will be the development and public release of a report on the findings from this week’s work.

Dr. Schubel indicated one area which needs to be addressed in California is the permitting process for coastal projects. In light of some projects – and jobs – which left California because of difficulty in getting permits, and also considering the Massachusetts Cape Cod off shore wind farm project which just recently obtained approval after more than a decade, Dr. Schubel said the permitting process represents an opportunity for improvement in California.

“You have to have a permitting process that’s transparent and predictable. You set very high standards and if they don’t meet it, you throw the bums out,” Dr. Schubel told OC180NEWS. “But it they do meet the standards, then you extend the permits in time so they know it’s a worthwhile investment.”