The federal government has dropped its push to rubber stamp offshore fish farms, officially closing the chapter on a fast-track permit called Nationwide Permit 56 (NWP 56).
Thanks to a successful legal challenge led by the Center for Food Safety, in partnership with Don’t Cage Our Oceans, Tribes, fishing organizations, and environmental advocates, we’re celebrating this major win.
“It’s refreshing when litigation can shut down backdoor, corner-cutting efforts to fast-track harmful forms of aquaculture against the will of American coastal communities.” said James Mitchell, legislative director at Don’t Cage Our Oceans, a plaintiff in the case.
“Instead of entertaining reckless efforts to advance harmful factory fish farms, we should focus on pathways to smart, sustainable fishing and aquaculture practices that actually benefit people who depend on the ocean,” Mitchell added. “That kind of vision excites our members, who care deeply about clean waters, healthy seafood, and community-led decision making.”
Here’s what the ruling means:
- Nationwide Permit 56 (NWP 56) is officially dead. Federal agencies can no longer use it to fast-track offshore fish farms in U.S. waters.
- No more shortcuts. Future proposals and pending permits for commercial offshore fish farm operations must face environmental scrutiny and offer the public a chance to weigh in.
Here’s what it doesn’t mean:
- It doesn’t ban offshore finfish farms. They can still move forward, but each project must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, with public input and a full assessment on potential harm to ocean ecosystems.
Want to help stop offshore finfish farms? Take 30 seconds to send this letter to your senator→
Last year, a federal court struck down NWP 56. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had been issuing the blanket permit in an attempt to greenlight massive offshore fish farms without site-specific reviews. (Federal waters, also referred to as “offshore,” begin three miles from most U.S. shorelines.)
The federal government did not appeal the court’s ruling by the May 2025 deadline, making the decision final and permanently striking NWP 56 from use. The court had found that the Army Corps overstepped its authority and violated core environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Rivers and Harbors Act.
Industrial-scale finfish farms pose well-documented risks, including: mass fish escapes, disease outbreaks, harm to wild fish populations, overfishing of forage fish to feed farmed fish (along with food insecurity linked to this), destruction to marine ecosystems, and competition with small-scale and family fishing operations.
What comes next in blocking (and building)
In late April, senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) introduced the bipartisan Keep Finfish Free Act of 2025, which would block federal agencies from issuing permits for finfish farms without congressional approval.
Another bill, the Domestic Seafood Production Act (DSPA) focuses on boosting processing and distribution capacity for community-based wild fisheries and mariculture operations. Originally introduced in 2024, the bill is expected to be reintroduced soon.
Help put the brakes on offshore finfish farms. It only takes 30 sec to tell your senator: Fish farms don’t belong in our waters →
Don’t Cage Our Oceans (DCO2) is a coalition of organizations and businesses fighting industrial aquaculture, while uplifting values-based aquaculture and seafood systems. DCO2 is a program of the North American Marine Alliance.
Gavel image courtesy of qimono on Pixabay.