Study of Production, Processing and Marketing of Aquaculture Products
The Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture (Commission) is a permanent joint commission of the North Carolina General Assembly. The Commission is charged with oversight of the production, processing, and marketing of seafood in North Carolina.
S.L. 2008-181, Part XI, (See Appendix A), authorizes the Commission to study the feasibility of increasing the production, processing, and marketing of aquaculture products in North Carolina. For purposes of this study, aquaculture includes both mariculture (saltwater aquaculture) and freshwater aquaculture. The Commission is seeking a consultant to assist with the conduct this study. Pursuant to the study, the consultant shall:
Evaluate and quantify the current and potential economic impact of the aquaculture industry in the State.
Evaluate and describe the current and potential environmental impacts of the aquaculture industry in the State.
Recommend any regulatory changes that may be necessary to increase the production, processing, and marketing of aquaculture products in the State.
Evaluate and describe any programs or initiatives to promote the production, processing, and marketing of aquaculture products in other states.
Recommend how the State-funded shellfish hatchery could contribute to increasing the production, processing, and marketing of aquaculture products in North Carolina.
Recommend levels of funding necessary to increase the production, processing, and marketing of aquaculture products in the State.
The Commission issued an initial Request for Proposals (RFP) for this study on October 21, 2008. For various reasons, the Cochairs of the Commission decided to not award a contract under the initial RFP. The Cochairs also decided to issue this subsequent RFP, which contains a longer study time frame than the initial RFP.
