Don’t Cage Our Oceans is urging NOAA to stop the expansion of Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs) in U.S. waters. In comments submitted to NOAA, we strongly opposed the designation of new AOAs, pointing to serious legal questions about NOAA’s authority to regulate aquaculture in federal waters and overwhelming public opposition to previously proposed AOAs. More than 90% of public comments …
National Coalition Warns: Revised MARA Act Weakens Protections, Gives More Ground to Industrial Fish Farms
Rollbacks to purported ecosystem and community protections are cause for serious concern – and further proof that this bill sells out coastal communities. Don’t Cage Our Oceans, a national coalition of 65+ member groups, strongly opposes the latest version of the Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act. Introduced quietly in the House in July 2026, this revised bill (H.R. …
🎥: Behind Cooke Aquaculture’s Salmon Pens in Maine
Click the red play button on the video still to play the video. In this short video, bags of fish feed are headed for Cooke Aquaculture’s massive open-ocean salmon pens off the coast of Maine. The pens sit between Black Island and Swan’s Island, just south of Mount Desert Island — home to Acadia National Park. Industrial finfish aquaculture is …
The Fish Farm Industry Wants Farmers on Its Side. Here’s Why Many Aren’t Convinced.
In a guest commentary for the Columbia Missourian, Tim Gibbons, executive director of the National Family Farm Coalition, responds to claims by the industrial aquaculture industry that offshore fish farming will create new markets for soy and corn and help revive rural economies. He argues that: Read the full commentary to learn why farmers aren’t buying the fish farm industry’s …
New England Fisherman Sounds Alarm on MARA Act
In a powerful op-ed for The Progressive, longtime New England fisherman Doug Feeney shares his personal journey from the collapse of the cod industry to rebuilding a community-based seafood system — and warns that Congress could undo that progress. Drawing on decades on the water, Feeney argues that the Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act would open U.S. oceans …
What the MARA Act Means for Offshore Fish Farming and U.S. Fisheries
A new explainer from FoodPrint describes how the Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act would fast-track offshore, commercial fish farms in U.S. waters under the premise of “research.” It outlines how the bill would worsen environmental harms, expand industrial seafood production, and use public resources rather than supporting America’s current fishing communities. The piece also highlights how these projects …
Op-Ed Warns: AI in Agriculture and Aquaculture Expands Corporate Control
A new op-ed in Civil Eats by Anthony Pahnke and Jason Jarvis argues that the push for AI in industrial agriculture and aquaculture is being framed as a solution to feed the world. Yet, it ultimately expands corporate control over food systems. The piece highlights how these technologies can deepen farmer dependence on corporations, displace workers, and expand industrial fish …
400+ Groups, Leaders, and Businesses Urge Congress to Reject MARA Act and Block Ocean Fish Farms
More than 400 organizations, community leaders, and businesses have signed a joint letter to Congress urging lawmakers to reject the Marine Aquaculture Research for America Act of 2025 (MARA Act). The letter, which was delivered to lawmakers this week, was endorsed by fishing groups, farmers, food advocacy groups, conservation organizations, seafood businesses, chefs, Tribal groups, and faith-based organizations. It warns …
The Norway Myth
In this fact sheet, you’ll learn all about how Norway’s salmon industry spun a global reputation as the “gold standard,” and why that image falls apart when you simply look at the facts. Behind the slick marketing, Norwegian fish farms are riddled with disasters the industry doesn’t like to talk about. One thing’s for sure: America should not copy Norway’s …
The State Policy Tackle Box on Finfish Aquaculture
Don’t Cage Our Oceans, in partnership with State Innovation Exchange (SiX), is excited to announce the launch of a new resource for state legislators and advocates. The State Policy Tackle Box on Finfish Aquaculture provides policymakers and coastal communities with the resources, information, and tools needed to protect coastal waters from the threat of industrial finfish aquaculture. To access to this resource, please …