California Aquaculture Opportunity Area

Overview

ID #

45471.685

Document Type

Environmental Impact Statement

NOAA Office

National Marine Fisheries Service - West Coast Region

Document Status

In Development

Last Updated

02/12/2025

Point of Contact

Celia Barroso

Summary

"The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NOAA Fisheries) West Coast Region is developing a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), to analyze the potential impacts to the human environment that may occur should projects be proposed in one or more Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs), in federal waters of Southern California and to evaluate the impacts of siting aquaculture in those locations. The intent of this PEIS is to support long-term planning for offshore aquaculture. This PEIS considers a long-term planning effort that is not a regulatory or permitting action and does not propose to authorize or permit any specific aquaculture-related activities or propose to approve any individual aquaculture projects."

Milestones

  • Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS (05/23/2022)
  • Draft EIS (Anticipated 09/27/2024)
  • DEIS Public Comment Period (Anticipated 09/27/2024 - 11/22/2024)
  • Final EIS (Anticipated 10/24/2025)
  • Record of Decision (03/01/2026)