UPDATE: MORE time to take a stand against fish farming

The comment period has been extended to Nov. 4!!

The Virtual Hearing was successful in getting the Army Corps (USACE) to open a Comment Period on the construction permit for the Velella Epsilon Fish Farm off Sarasota’s coast.

Please send comments to the Army Corps expressing your objections to the permit and requesting a public hearing at the email below by Nov. 4. Comments “must state the specific reasons for requesting the public hearing”:

COMMENTS regarding the potential authorization of the work proposed should be submitted in writing to the attention of the District Engineer through the Tampa Permits Section, 10117 Princess Palm Avenue, Suite 120, Tampa, Florida 33610-8302 or preferably by electronic mail at: OceanEra_VEAquaculture@usace.army.mil within 30 days from the date of this notice (i.e. November 4, 2020).

 

The decision whether to issue or deny this permit application will be based on the information received from this public notice and the evaluation of the probable impact general navigation pursuant to Section 10 of the RHA.

 

QUESTIONS concerning this application should be directed to the project manager, Katy Damico, in writing at the Tampa Permits Section, 10117 Princess Palm Avenue, Suite 120, Tampa, Florida 33610-8302 or preferably by electronic mail at : OceanEra_VEAquaculture@usace.army.mil or, by telephone at (813) 769-7076 or (813) 467-6603.

      Submit your comments now thru November 4

=======

There's still time to speak out!

There are a few more days for the public to add thoughts and voices to the overwhelming opposition to offshore fish farming near Sarasota's beaches. (Sample testimony)

Submit your comments now - open through Oct. 14.

=====

LTE of 9.21.20 in the Herald Tribune

The federal government recently moved to speed the development of industrial fish farming in the Gulf of Mexico by designating an “aquaculture opportunity area.”

But what “opportunity” is it really creating?

Offshore aquaculture consists of floating pens filled with tens of thousands of fish – and waste, excess feed and various chemicals freely polluting the surrounding environment. 

When those facilities are damaged during extreme weather, they can rupture, allowing the fish to escape and disrupt our local ecosystems.

If this isn’t enough, the Army Corps of Engineers is poised to issue a permit for a new fish farming facility in federal waters off Sarasota called Velella Epsilon, without making the application public. This comes in spite of strong opposition from Sarasota, Holmes Beach and Sanibel.

The facility may increase red tide, and pollute beaches and waters that are the backbone of our local economy.

On Sept. 30, a coalition of residents, government officials, business owners and environmentalists will participate in a virtual people’s hearing to give the public a voice in the permitting process, and make our opposition loud and clear.

Register to speak here

Submit audio, video and written statements

 

Dr. Neal Schleifer, Sarasota