U.S. Representative Mike Ezell Co-Sponsors MARA Act to Boost Domestic Aquaculture
U.S. Representative Mike Ezell has co-sponsored the Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act, a bipartisan bill introduced in 2025 by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz and Roger Wicker. The MARA Act aims to advance the development of commercial, open-ocean aquaculture in U.S. federal waters. According to Representative Ezell, offshore aquaculture, when implemented correctly, can alleviate pressure on existing fisheries and create new growth opportunities. The bill seeks to enable the U.S. to increase its sustainable seafood production domestically. This legislative effort comes as North America lags significantly in global aquaculture production, contributing only one percent despite being the world's largest seafood importer. Producers attribute this disparity to complex and lengthy regulatory processes, with some permit applications pending for years. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projects a significant increase in global aquatic animal production by 2034, with most growth...
