As traditional commercial fishing is threatening fish populations worldwide, U.S. officials are working on a plan to expand fish farming into federal waters around the Pacific Ocean. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is creating a plan to manage commercial fish farms in federal waters, the area of ocean from three to 200 miles offshore, around Hawaii and other Pacific islands.
With support from the Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture (CTSA) and other agencies, the government of Rongelap atoll started a commercial aquaculture project to raise and harvest rabbitfish and moi, two popular fish throughout the region. One of the main aspects of the project is local production of feed using locally available ingredients, including cassava, marine bycatch, and fishmeal from a tuna cannery on the island. The feed is made on a regular basis by Marshallese technicians trained under the project.