DATE: September 12, 2018
SUBJECT:
Title
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING BLUE ECONOMY INCUBATOR AGREEMENT WITH PACIFIC OCEAN AQUAFARMS, LLC (POA) FOR DISTRICT TO COOPERATE IN POA'S FEDERAL PERMIT APPLICATION AND NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT (NEPA) REVIEW PROCESSES FOR POA'S PROPOSED PROJECT DEMONSTRATING SUSTAINABLE OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE IN FEDERAL WATERS
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On October 10, 2017, the Board of Port Commissioners directed staff to begin negotiating agreements for the second round of proposals under the District's Blue Economy incubator contingent on further due diligence. Of the four proposals presented to the Board, an agreement with Zephyr Marine Debris Removal LLC for a pilot project for marine debris removal was subsequently approved on January 8, 2018 (Resolution 2017-0628), and, based on further due diligence Staff has not recommended agreements for the proposals related to sensor technology to prevent oil spills from vessels and real-time ocean monitoring technology for recreational maritime applications. The fourth proposal presented to the Board in October 2017 was related to a proposed project to demonstrate sustainable offshore aquaculture in federal waters by Rose Canyon Fisheries, Inc., an entity partially owned by Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute.
Since then, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute has joined with new partners and has continued its same proposal under a new entity, Pacific Ocean Aquafarms, LLC (POA). Staff has negotiated a proposed agreement with POA, and recommends the Board authorize an agreement for District to cooperate in POA's federal permit application and National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) review processes for POA's proposed project demonstrating sustainable offshore aquaculture in federal waters, and, if such federal permits are granted, allow POA to use the District's Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal for loading and offloading of fish and other materials for the project in exchange for a certain...
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