US sees Kona Blue as potential model

Officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Marine Fisheries Service visited the company's offshore fish farm on the Big Island last week, an event that coincided with the federal agencies' promotion of a bill in Congress that would encourage the development of the industry while also establishing environmental standards.

"We're here to see and learn," said William Hogarth, director of the National Marine Fisheries Service, in a news release. "Kona Blue is pioneering open ocean aquaculture, and we feel that their infrastructure and commitment to environmental sustainability can be replicated in federal waters offshore."

At a time of heightened food safety concerns, the United States imports more than 40 percent of its seafood from aquaculture farms located overseas, according to the release.

"Developing an emerging aquaculture industry in U.S. waters is key to ensuring a safe supply of healthful seafood grown in a sustainable manner," Hogarth said.

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