Coastal Seaweed Farm Act of 2023

Coastal Seaweed Farm Act of 2023

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to (1) establish the Indigenous Seaweed Farming Fund, (2) prepare a joint study of coastal seaweed farming, and (3) issue regulations addressing seaweed farming.

The Indigenous Seaweed Farming Fund must provide grants to tribes, Native villages, tribal reservations, and specified Native people to support coastal seaweed farming, including for creating and maintaining coastal seaweed farms, purchasing equipment, and identifying and mitigating adverse impacts.

The joint study must analyze best practices for coastal seaweed farming that maximize potential benefits and avoid adverse effects on the surrounding environment. Within one year of the publication of the joint study, USDA and NOAA must issue regulations that

• ensure that systems of coastal seaweed farming maximize potential benefits and avoid potential adverse effects on the marine ecosystem, wildlife, fisheries, and surrounding communities;
• establish evaluation metrics to measure the impact and benefits of coastal seaweed farming on the marine ecosystem and surrounding communities; and
• establish related monitoring and reporting requirements.

The bill also requires the Food and Drug Administration to report to Congress on recommendations for improving the regulation of seaweed for human consumption. The recommendations must focus on standards and testing methods to identify, address, and prevent contamination by bacteria, heavy metals, and pathogens.