Whit Richardson grew up in Maine and has been a journalist there for five years. Whit received a 2009 fellowship from the International Center for Journalists to report on nascent offshore aquaculture projects in Panama and Mexico and what they mean for the future of the industry. When not traveling to cover stories, Whit resides in Portland, Maine, where he is an editor at Mainebiz, Maine's business newspaper. Whit's blog on SeafoodSource is an offshoot of his blog "The New Aquaculture", an exploration of aquaculture's move offshore and its future implications on the food we eat, our coastal communities and the oceans.
Aquaculture Facts
50% of seafood consumed in the world comes from aquaculture
1.5% of the world's farmed seafood comes from the United States
62% of the world's farmed seafood comes from China
84% of seafood consumed in the United States is imported, half of which comes from aquaculture
$9 billion is the United States' annual seafood trade deficit, the second largest trade deficit for a natural resource behind oil
400 species of fish are farmed around the world
80% of wild fish stocks are reported as exploited or over-exploited
