Public Involvement in the AOA Identification Process
NOAA has worked closely with state and federal agencies, regional fishery management councils, commercial and recreational fishermen, the aquaculture industry, and the public to inform the development of the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) and opportunities for AOAs to foster sustainable aquaculture development in U.S. waters.
Upcoming public comment opportunities
There are no upcoming public comment opportunities for the identification of AOAs in the Gulf of America.
Final PEIS (FPEIS)
The FPEIS reflects NOAA Fisheries’ consideration of the public comments received during the public review and comment period on the Draft PEIS (DPEIS). A response to all substantive comments received on the DPEIS can be found in Appendix F of the FPEIS.
Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Gulf of America)
Past public comment opportunities
Public Review and Comment Period for the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
NOAA Fisheries developed the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Identification of Aquaculture Opportunity Areas in U.S. Federal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico* in collaboration with the cooperating and participating agencies, considering the public comments received during scoping. On November 22, 2024, a Notice of Availability was published for the draft PEIS, initiating a 90-day public review and comment period which concluded on February 20, 2025. During this time, the public had the opportunity to provide written comments. Stakeholders and the public also had opportunities to join three virtual public meetings to provide verbal comments. To view the transcripts from those virtual public meetings, click the links below.
The opportunities to participate in the public review and comment period were broadly advertised through various communication channels, including email notifications, social media, newsletters, Fishery Bulletins, web stories on NOAA Fisheries websites, and media engagement. The opportunity to provide comment was also shared by NOAA Fisheries staff during a presentation on the DPEIS at the Gulf Council’s January 2025 meeting in New Orleans, LA, which was open to the public and advertised through the Council’s email ListServ.
Public Comments Received on the Draft PEIS
In total, 92 written comments were submitted electronically via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal, and one comment letter sent via mail. Seventy-two comments were provided by members of the public, nine comments were provided by environmental non-governmental organizations (eNGO), four comments were provided by fishing organizations, two comments were provided by federal government agencies, two comments were provided by state government agencies, two comments were provided by aquaculture organizations, one comment was provided by a U.S. regional fishery management council and another comment was provided by an environmental consulting firm. Six verbal comments were provided during the three virtual public listening sessions.
The public can view all written comments provided on the DPEIS by visiting: https://www.regulations.gov/document/NOAA-NMFS-2024-0135-0001/comment.
Public Listening Session Transcripts
December 17, 2024 - Read Transcript (PDF)
January 15, 2025 - Read Transcript (PDF)
February 13, 2025 - Read Transcript (PDF)
Public scoping (Notice of Intent)
The public scoping process for the Gulf AOA PEIS began with the publication of a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare the DPEIS and conduct scoping (87 FR 33124; June 1, 2022). NOAA Fisheries held a 60-day public comment period from June 1, 2022 to August 1, 2022 to gather feedback from the public on the scope of the PEIS.
Written comments were accepted electronically via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal and by mail. Verbal comments were accepted at three virtual public scoping meetings that were held in June and July 2022. To view the recordings or transcripts from those virtual scoping meetings, click the links below.
Scoping Meeting Transcripts and Recordings
June 8, 2022 - Read Transcript (PDF); Listen to Recorded Meeting (MP4)
June 16, 2022 - Read Transcript (PDF); Listen to Recorded Meeting (MP4)
July 12, 2022 - Read Transcript (PDF); Listen to Recorded Meeting (MP4)
Throughout the scoping period, NOAA Fisheries distributed information about the AOA planning process and solicited comments from stakeholders, national leaders interested in aquaculture and aquaculture planning, and community leaders and organizations located near to the potential AOA Options identified in the Aquaculture Opportunity Atlas. NOAA Fisheries also presented the AOA initiative to the Gulf Council on June 21, 2022, in Ft. Myers, Florida. The meeting included an opportunity for public comment and the Council provided those comments to NOAA Fisheries as part of the formal written comments submitted during public scoping.
During the scoping period, NOAA Fisheries received 191 written submissions and 25 verbal submissions. NOAA Fisheries reviewed and considered each submission and compiled all of the verbatim submissions into a Public Scoping Summary for the Gulf of Mexico Aquaculture Opportunity Area PEIS*.
Public Scoping Summary (PDF, 455 pages)
*Executive Order 14172, “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness” (Jan. 20, 2025), directs that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the Gulf of America. On August 7, 2025, NOAA Fisheries and the National Ocean Service amended regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect the renaming. The name change did not result in any changes to, and had no effect on the applicability or enforceability of, any existing regulations. This website continues to use “Gulf of Mexico” when quoting statutes or previously published materials.
