LEWES, Del. - U.S. Senator Tom Carper held an aquaculture roundtable at the University of Delaware in Lewes with oyster farmers and other stakeholders from across the state, according to Carper's representative.
Officials say the event was moderated by Assistant Professor of the Sea Grant Program Ed Hale. Discussions involved examining the needs and challenges of the oyster aquaculture industry, while highlighting Senator Carper's related efforts at the same time.
Carper says that he's a cosponsor of the Sustaining Healthy Ecosystems, Livelihoods, and Local Seafood (SHELLS) Act, which would establish an Office of Aquaculture at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help aquaculture producers take advantage of USDA programs, provide technical assistance, and elevate aquaculture issues within USDA. Carper says he also supported federal funding for the University of Delaware's Fisheries and Aquaculture Innovation Center, which is meant to train students for careers in shellfish aquaculture, research and development.
“Supporting oyster aquaculture is a win-win for Delaware,” said Senator Carper, Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee in the U.S. Senate. “Oysters help filter our water and stabilize our shoreline, and oyster aquaculture contributes to our economy by bringing good-paying jobs to Delaware. I have been incredibly heartened to see the growth of this industry in our state over the last five years, and I look forward to supporting its continued success in the years to come.”
“Bringing our shellfish farming community together is an important step in tackling how to improve the future of the blue economy in the state of Delaware, as the industry is expected to exceed $3 trillion dollars by 2030,” said Professor Hale. “I am very appreciative of Senator Carper’s leadership in aquaculture as we seek to improve the ecology of our waterways and economic diversity of our industry.”
According to Carper's representative, Aquaculture only recently returned to Delaware after being banned in 1979 due to a decimated oyster population. It was only in 2014 when Delaware passed legislation to bring the industry back. They say the first land lease for growing oysters happened in 2017, with the first sale taking place in 2018.
