An Overhaul of the Aquaculture Laws in Rhode Island

Michael A. RiceRI Cooperative Extension &

Dept. of Fisheries, Animal & Veterinary SciencesUniversity of Rhode Island

Early History of Aquaculture in Rhode Island to 1950s

• Oyster Leases of late 19th and early 20th centuries (1860s-1952), peak 20,846 acres

• American Fish Culture Company--trout culture (1874-1994)

• State Lobster Hatchery at Wickford (1898-1949)

Oyster Aquaculture Leases and Fish Traps in Narragansett Bay 1910

Features about early oyster aquaculture in RI

• Peak 20,846 leased acres (1911)

• Peak production 1.4 million bushels live oysters & 1.3 million gallons of shucked meats (1908); worth >$500M in today’s dollars.

• “Mill Town” labor system similar to textile mills

RIDEM Fish Hatchery, Carolina RI ---est. 1874 as American Fish Culture Company

Rowland Gibson Hazard (1823-1883)

• Peace Dale Mfg Company was family textile business• Invested in Union Pacific Railroad• Avid sportsfisherman• Admired German accomplishments and brought them home to RI (Aniline Dyes, Kindergarten & Fish Farming)

RI Commission on Inland Fisheries/ Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Lobster Hatchery 1898-1949

Early Aquaculture Extension in Rhode Island

• 1896 -- Establishment of marine biological station by Dr. G. W. Field of RIAES for “investigation of the cause of the decline of the oyster fisheries in Pt. Judith Pond”

• 1898 -- Cooperation with RI Commission on Inland Fisheries on lobster spawning and nutrition at state lobster hatchery 1898

• 1904 -- Formal establishment of Extension Department at RI College of Agriculture & Mechanical Arts (now URI)

• 1914 – Smith-Lever Act establishing Cooperative Extension

Point # 1: RI was an innovator in aquaculture, was major

player & Extension was there in earliest days

Reasons for decline of RI aquaculture in 1930s-40s

• Increase raw sewage inputs

• Cumulative effects of continued soil erosion

• Increased metal finishing effluents

• Hurricane of 1938

• Labor shortages during WWII

• Gov. T.F. Green’s ‘bloodless revolution’ of 1935 and associated socio-political changes

• 1952 – last farm Warren Oyster Company gave up leases

Reasons for lack of RI’s aquaculture growth 1950s-1990s

• Lingering pollution issues

• Rise of the tourism economy

• Suburbanization of coastal zone

• Capture fisheries issues

• Fear of return to “Mill Town” social system

Point #2: Socio-political milieu is at least as important as any

other factor to grow or maintain aquaculture

Aquaculture Extension Efforts 1990s

• 1993 Incubator for formation of OSAA

• 1994 Publication of permitting manual

• 1995 Advice to Legislative Commission on Aquaculture

• 1995 First of annual RI aquaculture conferences w/ extension, private & legislative sponsorship

Legislative Actions 1996-2002• 1996 ‘An Aquaculture Act’

creates aquaculture coordinator and lead agency

• 1998 strategic plan published by Legislative Commission on Aquaculture

• 1998 omnibus aquaculture bill (98-H8816) passing in parts

• 1999-2002 most remaining sections passing

• 2001 Securing federal appropriation for aquaculture planning

Rep. Eileen S. Naughton of Warwick, author of nearly all RI aquaculture initiatives 1995-present

Overview of Statutory/Policy Changes 1996-2002 Affecting RI Aquaculture

• “One-stop” permitting with lead agency and Aquaculture Coordinator responsible for coordinating inter-agency review

• Recognition of aquaculture as a form of agriculture under tax codes

• Exemption of aquaculture livestock from all Fish and Game laws

• Multi-agency “Aquatic Biosecurity Board”

• Simplified leasing and water quality certification procedures

Current Status of Rhode Island Aquaculture

 

 

Year Number of farms Total Acres Farmgate value (U.S. $)

1995 6 9 $83,518

1996 6 9 $91,499

1997 6 17 $275,946

1998 10 26 $296,980

1999 14 28 $213,861

2000 12 30 $314,977

2001 18 51.5 $299,998

Final Points:

1) Regrowth of aquaculture in RI is robust 2) It has regained ‘legitimacy’ within RI’s

social-political milieu 3) Key is recognition of value of extension education as advisory to both stakeholders

and decision makers.