The Pacific blue tang, Paracanthurus hepatus, is consistently among the top 20 marine ornamental species imported into the USA, with all specimens presently sourced from wild stocks. Captive culture of this species through metamorphosis has not been previously documented and fundamental information regarding reproduction, larval culture, and production techniques is scarce. This study aimed to elucidate methods that would advance our understanding and success with captive propagation of this species. A total of 50,000 eggs were collected from a single broodstock population and stocked in a 1000‐L tank. Beginning at 3 d posthatch (DPH), larvae were fed three times daily a diet comprised exclusively of copepod nauplii. At 12 DPH, enriched rotifers were first fed followed by powdered feed (20 DPH) and first instar Artemia (21 DPH). Large mortality events were observed at 7 and 20 DPH, corresponding with starvation and flexion, respectively. By 41 DPH, the majority of the remaining larvae began associating with the bottom of the culture tank. On Day 50, the first signs of blue pigmentation marked the beginning of metamorphosis. A total of 27 juvenile blue tangs were cultured during this trial. This effort represents the first successful culture of this species in captivity.

Many government regulations have improved environmental and social quality of life in the United States, but others have resulted in negative consequences that exceed their benefits to society. This study estimated the total annual cost of regulatory compliance and lost revenue for US aquaculture. The total annual regulatory cost was $196 million (in 2023 USD), which accounted for 9%–30% of total annual costs, one of the top five costs of aquaculture production. Regulatory costs result in disproportionately greater per‐unit costs of production on smaller‐scale farms. Total annual lost revenue was $807 million (36% of total sales value), which resulted from lost sales and thwarted expansion opportunities from regulatory actions that either closed access to existing markets, forced reduced scales of production, or prevented attempts to expand production to meet existing demand for the farm's products. Accounting for multiplier effects, lost economic contributions were $1.4 billion annually, with >8000 jobs lost nationally from farms alone, not including associated supply chain partners. Well‐designed regulations made use of best available science, participatory approaches to rule‐making, sunset clauses for removal of outdated regulations, and market‐based approaches. Pathways identified to improve regulatory efficiency included: (1) sunset clauses for each rule; (2) reward incentives (i.e., reduced testing frequency for farms with records of compliance) (3) standardized fish health testing requirements of sample size, farm‐wide rather than lot testing, testing the most susceptible species/life stages; (4) non‐lethal, multi‐pathogen testing methods; (5) farm compensation for reverse externalities of avian predation; (6) appropriate risk management by experts to manage aquatic invasive species and pathogens; (7) training in aquaculture science, current farm practices, and appropriate, consistent, regulatory actions; (8) engagement with independent experts and producers throughout rule‐making; (9) establishment of transparent appeals processes for farmers; (10) concurrent, not sequential review of permit requests by agencies; (11) long‐term aquaculture literacy programs; and (12) an efficient, streamlined permitting and regulatory framework for mariculture.

The ornamental aquaculture trade is a diverse sector of aquaculture and faces unique challenges that other commodity groups do not have to contend with. The various production techniques, species, and destination markets make ornamental aquaculture an interesting study in how regulations impact the industry. In Florida, aquaculture is primarily regulated under the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, unique from other states. Regulatory costs and the value of lost production on ornamental farms in Florida were estimated to be $5.2 and $23.2 million, respectively. Results from an industry‐wide census have shown that there is a high regulatory burden on ornamental farmers for some regulatory categories. These include issues of legal control of fish‐eating predators, the restriction of drugs and chemicals, which would be beneficial to production, and the prohibition for farmers to raise species that have been restricted for culture at the national and state level. Larger farms were also able to limit the impact from regulations better than smaller farms by spreading their regulatory costs and value of lost production across greater sales. Although the values of lost production were high for ornamental producers, direct regulatory costs were low compared with other aquaculture commodities demonstrating that the industry in Florida may prove a regulatory model for other sectors.