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National organic standards for aquaculture are now under consideration by the United States Department of Agriculture's National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). After ten years of NOSB deliberations, national organic crop and livestock standards will soon be finalized for many terrestrial products. This means that any agricultural product labeled as organic must comply with these national standards.

The discussion on national organic aquaculture standards has only just begun, leaving the door wide open for participation by aquaculturists and other interested parties. Organic sales are the fastest growing segment in grocery retailing in the United States.

To best proceed with the development of organic aquaculture standards, the 15-member NOSB has created an advisory Aquaculture Working Group. The working group of eleven includes aquaculture producers, individuals directly involved with aquaculture in universities and extension, experts in feed manufacturing, environmental issues, marketing and retail distribution, fish farmers, and experts in organic terrestrial agriculture (many of whom also participated in the first National Organic Aquaculture Workshop at the University of Minnesota this past June, 2000)

In a November report, the NOSB Aquaculture Working Group made recommendations relative to the basic question of whether certified organic aquaculture is feasible; feed rations (including contentious issues around the use of fish meal); nutrient management (manure); siting (including net pens in open waters); health care; and breeding. Still pending in the working group discussions are matters of: recirculating aquaculture sys-tems; harvest, post-harvest handling, and transportation; predator control; and molluscs.

Aquaculture 2001 includes a 1¸ hour session on organic aquaculture. This session will be lead by a panel of working group participants and other experts. Substantial time will be available for audience participation. This session should be of interest to growers who may wish to consider producing and marketing organically grown fish or shellfish, as well as others interested in learning more about criteria and procedures involved in es-tablishing organic certification standards. The working group advising the NOSB seeks comments and questions from aquaculturists.

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