Update: Venice City Council approves letter urging more study of Ocean Era aquaculture permit
VENICE – The Venice City Council approved drafting a letter asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to rescind its permit for the Ocean Era aquaculture demonstration project Tuesday, but not before listening to Ocean Era project manager Dennis Peters clarify details about the project. ...
The board specifically did not oppose the aquaculture project. Vice Mayor Rich Cautero noted that the issue had become a political football. [Full story]
Text of Venice Council's letter
A story published in Sarasota Magazine reveals the scale of Ocean Era's ambition:
If the results are positive, you can expect to see another farm with as many as 2 million fish in the Gulf. According to [Neil Sims, Ocean Era’s chief executive officer] that size is an industry standard. “There are certain economies of scale,” he says. “Two thousand tons a year is the minimum for any aquaculture operation.”
Other companies may also join Ocean Era. “By blazing this trail through the permitting process, we want to build an industry,” says Sims. “We don’t want to just be one farm out there.”
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The Venice City Council has voted to support a letter authorized by its Environmental Advisory Board urging the EPA to rescind its permit for the Ocean Era fish farm off the coast of Sarasota.
Venice would join the cities of Sarasota, Anna Maria, Sanibel and Holmes Beach. Apparently the public can observe but not participate -- except to send advance email and mail comments:
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| Photo from Herald Tribune |
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