Southern California Aquaculture Opportunity Areas
On September 19, 2025, NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region identified 10 Aquaculture Opportunity AOAs in Federal waters of Southern California.
Background
On May 7, 2020, the White House issued an Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth (E.O. 13921), which directed the Secretary of Commerce to identify geographic areas containing locations suitable for commercial aquaculture, called Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs). An AOA is a defined geographic area that has been evaluated to determine its potential suitability for commercial aquaculture. The goal of identifying AOAs is to promote American seafood competitiveness, food security, economic growth, and support facilitation of the development of domestic commercial aquaculture, consistent with sustaining and conserving marine resources and applicable laws, regulations and policies. On September 19, 2025, NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region identified 10 Aquaculture Opportunity AOAs in Federal waters of Southern California.
For more information on AOAs, please visit the Office of Aquaculture’s National AOA page or the National AOA Fact Sheet.
Download the shapefiles for the Santa Barbara Channel and Santa Monica Bay AOAs
West Coast Region Aquaculture Opportunity Area Planning Overview
Following the E.O. 13921, Southern California was selected as one of the first two regions to identify one or more AOAs. The identification of AOAs in Southern California does not create any new regulatory framework or change any existing statutory authority related to offshore marine aquaculture. No aquaculture operations are authorized or permitted through the AOA identification process, and any future aquaculture operation proposed inside or outside of an AOA would still need to comply with all applicable laws.
NOAA used a combination of scientific analysis and public engagement to identify AOAs that may be environmentally, socially, and economically appropriate for commercial aquaculture. The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) initiated a marine spatial planning process to assist agency decision-makers in identifying areas that may be suitable for locating AOAs, as mandated by E.O. 13921. This process was based on spatial suitability modeling that included data layers relevant to administrative boundaries, national security (i.e., military), navigation and transportation, energy and industry infrastructure, commercial and recreational fishing, natural and cultural resources, and oceanography (i.e., non-living resources). Published in 2021, the resulting Atlas includes peer-reviewed technical information that was used to assist agency decision makers in identifying areas that may be suitable for AOAs in Federal waters of the Southern California Bight. The Atlas identified options that have the highest potential to support three to five marine aquaculture operations and aims to minimize the amount of conflict with other ocean uses.
National Environmental Policy Act Process
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is a U.S. law that requires federal agencies to identify and analyze the potential environmental effects of a proposed action before deciding whether to proceed with that action.
Pursuant to E.O. 13921, NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region developed a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS), in accordance with NEPA, that analyzes the potential impacts to the human environment that could result from identifying AOAs in Federal waters of Southern California and evaluates the impacts of siting aquaculture in those locations. The intent of this PEIS is to support long-term planning for offshore aquaculture. This PEIS considers a long-term planning effort that is not a regulatory or permitting action and does not propose to authorize or permit any specific aquaculture-related activities or propose to approve any individual aquaculture projects.
The NEPA process was initiated in 2022 by the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS). The NOI initiated a 60-day public comment period. For an overview of the public input received during this period, view our Public Scoping Report.
During the public scoping process for the NOI, NOAA asked for stakeholder input on the proposed action and preliminary alternatives, along with other topics related to offshore marine aquaculture and resources in Southern California—including, but not limited to, the risks, benefits, capacity, species and gear types, as well as long-term visions for offshore aquaculture development in the region. Comments received during the NOI public comment period played a key role in helping WCR determine the scope, scale, and capacity of the alternatives and analysis within the Draft PEIS. NOAA Fisheries consulted and coordinated with multiple Federal agencies and the Pacific Fishery Management Council, and coordinated with State government and tribal governments throughout development of the EIS. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Coast Guard were cooperating agencies on the PEIS.
In 2024 NOAA Fisheries published the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) for the Identification of Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs) in Federal Waters of Southern California. The DPEIS considered Federal marine waters within the Santa Barbara Channel (SBC) and Santa Monica Bay (SMB). Ten areas are considered and analyzed: eight within the SBC and two in SMB. Three action alternatives were analyzed in the DPEIS, including sub-alternatives based on the types of aquaculture that may occur in an AOA, if identified. Following a 90-day public comment period on the Draft PEIS, the Final PEIS (FPEIS) was developed and published in 2025. The FPEIS includes responses to comments received on the DPEIS.
NOAA Fisheries signed a decision document on September 10, 2025, documenting its decision to select Alternative 4b, all types of aquaculture in both the Santa Barbara Channel and Santa Monica Bay. The AOAs identified through this action do not represent the only potential suitable sites for aquaculture in Federal Waters off of southern California. The Final PEIS provides information for permitting agencies and applicants, and informs future environmental review.
For more information on AOAs, please contact the California Regional Aquaculture Coordinator:
Celia Barroso
Celia.Barroso@noaa.gov
(562) 432-1850