Differentiating and defining ‘exposed’ and ‘offshore’ aquaculture and implications for aquaculture operation, management, costs, and policy

Ocean based aquaculture has typically occurred in protected coastal environments, however the industry and been expanding into offshore locations over the past few decades. The term “offshore” has been used to broadly define any aquaculture facility that either is spatially far from shore, or exposed to high-energy environments even though these are different situations. In most cases, however, "offshore" is not used in its primary sense, namely the distance from the coastline. A definition for “offshore” in the context of aquaculture has not been clearly defined and continues to lead to ambiguity and confusion among industry participants, support industries, academics, and regulators. Recent advances in the sector, and a growing need to produce seafood from offshore environments, creates a necessity for research and analysis to define and characterize the environments currently described as “offshore” and create a framework for industry members to understand and describe ocean environments effectively.



The research topic seeks to create a framework for describing aquaculture environments in the context of distance from shore and ocean energy, as well as explore how these two parameters impact aquaculture technology, operations, regulation, and economics. Submissions should add to the understanding of offshore or open ocean aquaculture farms specifically in the context of the environment in which they operate. A focus will be on creating definitions for the terms “offshore”, “open ocean”, and “high-energy” in the context of marine farming such that these terms can be used more effectively in the future.



Submissions should support the research topic goal and generally fill one of the descriptions below. Articles may include primary research, analysis, reviews, or case studies.

• Development of defensible definitions and novel characterization frameworks for “offshore” or “open ocean” or "exposed" farms or the environments in which they operate.

• Reviews of specific topics pertaining to “offshore” or “open ocean” or "exposed" aquaculture. For example, a review of the legal applications of those terms and how that has resulted in industry development.

• Analysis and/or review of how ocean energy affects marine farm systems and operations.