ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4994

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

      The Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 4994.

      This bill would modify the definition of “aquaculture” in various State laws to clarify that the term aquaculture includes the construction of facilities and appurtenant structures that might otherwise be regulated pursuant to any State or federal law or regulation.  According to current law, the term aquaculture does not include the construction of facilities and appurtenant structures that might otherwise be regulated pursuant to any State or federal law or regulation.

      New Jersey’s aquaculture industry relies on both in-water farms and the land-based facilities that sustain them.  Structures such as hatcheries, processing facilities, and equipment storage are just as vital to shellfish farming as barns and silos are to traditional agriculture.  Recognizing these structures as aquaculture will provide much-needed clarity to attract investment and to position New Jersey as a competitor in a thriving and sustainable industry.