Offshore pens vote nears

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. - Fishery officials are expected to decide next week on a proposal for a new industry that would raise fish in offshore pens far out in the Gulf of Mexico. The plan would permit as many as 20 aquaculture operations to raise fish now available only by catching them in the wild. The decision by the Tampa-based Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has sparked controversy among academics, sportsmen, scientists, fishing industry groups, and others. (Source: Sun Herald, 01/23/09)