EPA's Aquaculture Effluent Guidelines...

On August 23, 2004 the Environmental Protection Agency’s new “Effluent Limitations Guidelines and New Source Performance Standards for the Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production Point Source Category” were published in the Federal Register (Volume 69, Number 162). The published guidelines include the following excerpted summary: “Today’s final rule establishes Clean Water Act effluent limitations guidelines and new source performance standards for concentrated aquatic animal production facilities. …

The regulation establishes technology-based narrative limitations and standards for wastewater discharges from new and existing concentrated aquatic animal production facilities that discharge directly to U.S. waters. EPA estimates that compliance with this regulation will affect 242 facilities. The rule is projected to reduce the discharge of total suspended solids by about 0.5 million pounds per year and reduce the discharge of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and nutrients by about 0.3 million pounds per year. The estimated annual cost for commercial facilities is $0.3 million. The estimated annual cost to Federal and State hatcheries is $1.1 million. EPA estimates that the annual monetized environmental benefits of the rule will be in the range of $66,000 to $99,000.”

EPA produced a Fact Sheet on the aquaculture guidelines, which can be found at: http://epa.gov/guide/aquaculture/fs-final.htm

The guidelines, per se, are also on EPA’s website, located at: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WATER/2004/August/Day-23/w15530.htm.

More recently (May 2006) EPA produced and made public another guidance document regarding aquaculture effluents. This newest document is entitled: "Compliance Guide for the Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production Point Source Category." EPA states that ...

"You should use this guide if you own or operate a CAAP [Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production] facility or if you are a [NPDES] permit writer. It will help you to understand the June 2004, CAAP ELGs [Effluent Limitations Guidelines] and how it relates to the NPDES regulations. Owners or operators of a CAAP can use this guide to determine if their operation is a facility subject to the ELGs. Permit writers may use this guidance to obtain information on the permitting requirements for CAAPs. Facilities that are not covered by this rule (flow-through, recirculating, and net pen systems that produce less than 100,000 pounds of aquatic animals per year and other systems, such as ponds) may benefit from using this guidance to help improve facility operation (i.e., through feed management, materials storage, etc.) and reduce pollutant discharges."