Today, the ​National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ​will move to designate federal waters off Southern California and in the Gulf of Mexico as “Aquaculture Opportunity Areas” (AOA). Areas designated as AOAs have been pre-approved for expansion of industrial aquaculture facilities, as dictated in President Trump’s May 2020 ​Executive Order​ on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth.