USC’s Catalina Aquaculture Project

Month	December
Year	2015
Summary	The University of Southern California Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies (USC-WIES) applied for a permit to install and operate a shellfish aquaculture research facility for five years within a state-designated Marine Protected Area (MPA) located in Catalina Harbor. Environmental groups expressed significant concern over such development happening within an MPA and the fact that the project uses nonnative oysters – and thus is introducing a potentially invasive species to a protected marine habitat.
Outcome
Outcome Description	After hearing testimony from environmental advocates who helped shape the state’s marine protected area network as well as from project proponents, commissioners approved the project unanimously. Although dismayed, advocates appreciated that the final version of the project includes improved monitoring requirements. Notable comment came from John Finger of Hog Island Oysters, who supported the project, but most importantly called for statewide guidelines for the shellfish industry to prevent the current laborious project-by-project manner of evaluation.
Why You Should Care	The controversy over this project stemmed from the fact that it is sited within a marine protected area, but unlike other research projects in MPAs it is unrelated to the MPA itself. This potentially sets an unfortunate precedent for what is allowed in these unique and vital offshore areas, and runs contrary to the spirit and science in which the MPA network was created. Working with the Department of Fish & Wildlife, local stakeholders crafted regulations for each MPA; exemptions should be rare and related to research involving the marine protected area. To allow otherwise, as with this project, compromises the potential benefit of the individual MPA and the network as a whole.
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Decision Type	Coastal Development Permit
Staff Recommendation	Approval with conditions
Staff Report	http://documents.coastal.ca.gov/reports/2015/12/w10a-12-2015.pdf
Lobbyist/Agent	Robert Smith, Plauche & Carr, LLP
Opposition to Project	Heal the Bay, NRDC, Surfrider Foundation
Coastal Act Policies	30230, 30231, 30233, 30234, 30210, 30211, 30220

Voting Detail for USC’s Catalina Aquaculture Project

Individual vote detail for Issue: USC’s Catalina Aquaculture Project

Commissioner	Vote
Martha McClure
Mary K. Shallenberger
Mary Luevano
Carole Groom
Erik Howell
Wendy Mitchell
Greg Cox
Effie Turnbull-Sanders
Dayna Bochco
Steve Kinsey
Roberto Uranga
Mark Vargas

Meeting Page

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