This fall, the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Seafood for the Future (SFF) Program is hosting a bi-weekly virtual panel series to explore sustainable seafood. The series features scientists and experts who discuss the big picture of sustainable seafood and its role in and relationship with climate change, nutrition, livelihoods, policy, society, and more.

Oyster cages cultured in a 1000 year-old fish pond at Kualoa Ranch in Oahu, Hawai’i. Check out the NOAA Fisheries video gallery to see traditional Oyster Farming in a Hawaiian Fishpond practices. Image credit: Seafood for the Future, Aquarium of the Pacific

National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) marine ecologist Dr. James Morris joins the series, with colleagues from Florida State University, for Episode 4: "Location, Location, Location! Can Location Choices Prevent Seafood Farming Catastrophes?" The panel discusses how responsible seafood farming, or marine aquaculture, can be used as a tool to sustainably expand our seafood supply.

During the panel, Dr. Morris discusses global and national trends in aquaculture development and how the geospatial sciences can inform planning for sustainable aquaculture development.  He also discusses new initiatives in the U.S. such as the development of Aquaculture Opportunity Areas, which work to identify the best locations for aquaculture development in advance of the permitting process.  The NCCOS toolbox for coastal aquaculture planning was also highlighted, which includes the National AquaMapper, OceanReports, and various environmental and geospatial modeling approaches.

Download additional resources for Episode 4 here.