Coastal Commission supports San Diego area marine shellfish aquaculture operations

LOS ANGELES—A company cultivating Mediterranean mussels and Pacific oysters at an aquaculture farm in Carlsbad finally has a coastal development permit, or CDP, after nearly 30 years of operations. Carlsbad Aquafarms, which operated a shellfish aquaculture farms at Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad since 1990, earned its CDP from the California Coastal Commission on March 7. Agua Hedionda Lagoon also hosts several recreational activities, such as kayaking and standup paddleboarding. The farm fettered 75 longlines within the lagoon to cultivate Mediterranean mussels and Pacific oysters. “Although [Carlsbad Aquafarms] has been in operation since at least 1990 (and under its current ownership since 2014), it has been doing so without benefit of a coastal development permit. Through this application, [Carlsbad Aquafarms] is seeking after-the-fact authorization for its existing facility and operations,” Coastal Commission staff stated in a report to commissioners. “As a result of [Carlsbad Aquafarms’] failures to obtain the necessary authorizations prior to carrying out development activities, violations of the Coastal Act exist on the subject property.” Reported violations included the installation and use of shellfish aquaculture longlines, as well as construction and operation of offices, a shellfish nursery, marine algae laboratory, depuration systems, and shellfish processing and packing facilities. Carlsbad Aquafarms prepared and submitted...