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Suncoast Waterkeeper opposes fish farm

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

In a press release last week, Suncoast Waterkeeper and a coalition of ocean advocates announced their opposition to what they called a bait-and-switch permit application for the Velella Epsilon industrial finfish aquaculture facility 40 miles off the Sarasota coast. The press release explains, “Florida fishermen; homeowner association leaders; business owners; community and clean water advocates; other concerned residents, and visitors to the Gulf coast gathered today to protest a “bait-and-switch” on the terms of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) permit that was issued for wastewater discharge from the Velella Epsilon industrial finfish aquaculture facility. The open cage fish farm operation is planned for construction about 40 miles off the Sarasota County, Florida coast. Ocean Era, the company that requested the permit, recently informed EPA that it plans to swap out both the kind of fish to be raised and the type of facility to be constructed.”

Groups challenging the permit in ongoing litigation included Food & Water Watch, Center for Food Safety, Healthy Gulf, Recirculating Farms, Sierra Club, Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper. The parties sent a letter to the EPA on June 7 urging the agency to void the existing permit and do an entirely new impact assessment, with a public comment period. The letter states:

  • “…on May 10, 2023, Ocean Era expressly acknowledged that it does ‘not intend to implement the project as currently permitted (i.e., with almaco jack or a SPM net pen system)’ and instead requested to alter both the species of fish proposed to be raised by Ocean Era (changing from almaco jack to red drum) and the type of net pen system utilized for the facility (changing from a swivel-point mooring system to a grid mooring system).
  • “Accordingly, we hereby call upon EPA to exert its jurisdiction and authority under the Clean Water Act to revoke NPDES Permit FL0A00001 in its entirety, in light of Ocean Era’s explicit admission that it will not — indeed, as a practical matter, it cannot — implement the project as currently permitted.”
Suncoast Waterkeeper opposes fish farm
Justin Bloom, founder of Suncoast Waterkeeper, addresses attendees at the fish farm press conference. – Samantha Wassmer | Submitted

Attending the press conference, Justin Bloom, founder and board member of Suncoast Waterkeeper, stated, “Notwithstanding the major changes to the project proposal, this permit is flawed and not adequately protective of the environment and our coastal communities that rely on clean and healthy waters. The new changes are equivalent to an entirely new project and make it clear that the permitting agencies should require a new permit proposal.”

Also present was Dr. Neal Schleifer, vice president of the Siesta Key Condominium Council (SKCC), representing over 90 associations and 7,000 residences.

“The changes should result in revocation of the permit, which is widely opposed by residents and local municipalities as a danger to the environment and local economy,” Schleifer said. “The changes introduce new issues and question the credibility of previous company information. Imagine the potential problems if this facility existed during Hurricane Ian or the subsequent massive red tide outbreak.”

Dr. Larry Allan, Manatee-Sarasota Sierra Club steering committee member and wildlife photographer, repeated what so many in the crowd said in some form or another.

“It’s not aquaculture I oppose in general, but the proposed placement of this project – no matter what kind of fish or what kind of open cage – just offshore from an area plagued with annual red tide blooms makes absolutely no sense for anyone,” Allan said.

While the lawsuit is currently on hold pending an EPA review of the Velella Epsilon project changes, Marianne Cufone, director of recirculating farms, steering committee member of the Don’t Cage Our Oceans coalition and a Florida attorney on the lawsuit, was in Washington, D.C.  at the time of the event discussing offshore finfish farming bills.

“EPA should withdraw the permit it issued for the Velella Epsilon industrial finfish aquaculture facility and do a full environmental review of the new plans, including meaningful opportunities for public input, to fully consider all the potential impacts and alternatives,” she said.

If you would like more information on the pending permit and project, contact Justin Bloom at 917-991-7593 or bloomesq1@gmail.com, Casey Streeter at 239-333-8832 or casey@floridawatermen.org, Cris Costello at 941-914-0421 or cris.costello@sierraclub.org and  Shane Tan at shane.tan@berlinrosen.com.

Reel Time: “Fish farm” proposal troubling

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, I attended an EPA public comment session at Mote Marine Laboratory. The hearing gave the public an opportunity to speak to a proposed draft permit to test the raising of almaco jacks in a pen anchored in 140 feet of water off the coast of Sarasota.

Kampachi Farm LLC’s project, known as Velella Epsilon, would be the first of its kind in the nearshore Gulf waters. I stayed late to listen to the comments that included close to 70 speakers, each having three minutes to express their opinion. The vast majority spoke against the project, most passionately. Of those that spoke in favor, the majority had an interest in the project, most financially. I too spoke, not against aquaculture in general (although I have some problems here as well) but specifically to locating this project in an area that experiences major harmful algae blooms.

Reel Time
Citizens prepare to address EPA officials presiding over the public comment session at Mote’s WAVE Center. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Most of the speakers had similar issues, expressing their skepticism that an operation that concentrates fish (up to 20,000) and the associated waste generated would even be considered in such an area. Then there is the use of antibiotics and other potential issues that might develop with the interaction of farm and native species as well as hurricanes. The operations that feature the technology being considered are generally deployed in ocean waters hundreds of feet deep with better circulation patterns and even those have a spotty environmental record. This one would be in only 140 feet.

By far most objections centered around the possibility that red tide blooms might be exacerbated by the operation. Many also pointed to the fact that, if approved, the technique could be deployed at scale creating even more and larger operations. Most who spoke seemed incredulous that this kind of operation would even be considered given the insults the Gulf has already experienced and experiences on a regular basis such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the Dead Zone at the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Given that it’s possible to do this kind of farming in land-based, closed systems where water is filtered and reused, it seems that this is not a good option. Then there’s the issue of how this is being handled and the review process itself. Justin Bloom of Suncoast Waterkeeper gave a compelling presentation about the legal as well as environmental ramifications surrounding the EPA process and how it’s not being given the review it deserves.

It will be interesting to see how this develops as I’ve heard people state that the project is a “done deal” and the state and the EPA are just going through the motions with the hearings. I can tell you from my experience that the people who cared enough to be there and comment were overwhelmingly against the project. Those of us who live, work and play in and on Suncoast waters should be aware of this and other potential threats to the Gulf and Bay. The outcome will affect the waters that provide us recreational opportunities and enrich our lives, but also our livelihoods, whether we are waterfront restaurant owners or carpenters driving nails in Lakewood Ranch.

Then there’s the biggest question of all, what are we leaving our children and future generations?