Developing New Hampshire Aquaculture Regulation

Aquaculture is a burgeoning industry in New England, but current aquaculture policy in New Hampshire requires additional infrastructure to adequately allow for economic growth. Due to the lack of a regulatory framework, aquaculturists are currently able to erect illegal structures and operations on public lands. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) desires a greater level of state oversight as it attempts to expand upon the existing state statutory framework. To assist the DES in this process, we evaluate the state aquaculture policies of Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Maine, specifically focusing on each state’s permitting processes, enforcement, and treatment of public trust lands. A final analysis of these three states provides a useful state-by-state comparison for New Hampshire in developing aquaculture regulation.