Will stop further aquaculture development

Tor-Eddie Fossbakk Mr. Miller has made it clear that should the CAFO ordinance be passed, he will also halt plans to expand his USD 10 million operation. "Restrictions on new facilities in Delaware County should aquatic animals remain part of this zoning approval process will eliminate this county from any further consideration for building additional facilities by Bell Aquaculture or others," he said in a statement referred to in Indystar.com. Miller questioned why the CAFO proposal should include fish farms along with operations that house dairy cows, swine, chickens and other animals. "Is there a valid reason for Delaware County to put aquatic animals in with pigs? Please don't put us in with CAFOs," he urged city-county planning officials at a public hearing on the ordinance Thursday. Miller said the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management already have regulations governing confined aquatic animal production. Bell Aquaculture produces yellow perch for the restaurant market in indoor tanks filled with water pumped from the ground. He said the company plans to create 70 jobs at its farm in Albany and 120 jobs at a planned processing facility in Redkey. Miller said the setback requirements under the proposal would leave only a small fraction of the land useable for fish farming.