This GIS-based mariculture siting tool was sponsored by South Carolina SeaGrants and developed by GIBD lab in collaboration with SC SeaGrants. The tool was developed and refined through iterative stakeholder engagement sessions to solicit feedback from permitting agencies and industry representatives. This co-production process enabled siting information to be compiled and displayed in a user-friendly and functional format that prospective growers can use to plan for selecting lease sites.
The purpose of this GIS application is to aid new and existing shellfish mariculturists in identifying a space within the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) shellfish management area that may be suitable to locate a lease site. In South Carolina, obtaining a mariculture lease requires being permitted to use a specific gear type in a set location of leased water space.
Mariculture applications receive special consideration from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control-Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (SCDHEC-OCRM), and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) through an interagency permitting process. The process is interactive, and will require ample consultation with each agency. For more on permitting, visit the S.C. Sea Grant Aquaculture Permitting Guide.
Some locations in coastal SC are more suitable for aquaculture than others, depending on other uses of an area (e.g., water quality, commercial/recreational grounds, high boat traffic areas, research sites, etc.). Understanding where an aquaculture lease may be sited based on regulatory purview as well as where aquaculture leases are socially acceptable, environmentally compatible, and economically feasible should be considered before submitting an application.
This tool should be used to plan and prepare for completing a mariculture permitting application. Through the use of spatial data layers, this tool helps to identify areas of concern from the purview of permitting, human health, and natural resource management (Pre-Application layer), and also provides information on other relevant social and environmental factors (Post-Application layer) to consider to alleviate barriers to siting a mariculture lease.
Disclaimer – All mariculture applications are reviewed and discretion given by SCDNR, SCDHEC–OCRM, and USACE. This tool does not guarantee success of mariculture applications.
