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Offshore aquaculture could soon move from concept to reality along Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Research shows Americans now eat more farmed seafood than wild-caught, and the vast majority of it is imported. A proposal to place large fish farms in federal waters near Florida aims to change it, raising questions about environmental effects, seafood supply and the future of fishing in the Gulf.

Melvin Jackman lives near salmon farms in Newfoundland and said large-scale fish farming has damaged local waters and coastlines.

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"It makes a few jobs but the jobs don’t justify the environmental damage," Jackman asserted. "It simply doesn't. I want my grandkids to walk on a clean shore."

Supporters of offshore aquaculture say newer, deep-water fish farms could reduce reliance on imported seafood and limit environmental harm, arguing the technology being proposed for Florida’s Gulf waters is fundamentally different from older nearshore operations.

Neil Anthony Simms, founder and CEO of Ocean Era, which is seeking approval for an offshore fish farm in federal waters off Florida's Gulf Coast, said offshore placement makes the difference.

"All of the evidence confirms that if you do this in deep enough water with a bare sand bottom and with some reasonable water movement, you have no significant environmental impact and often no measurable environmental impact at all," Simms contended.

Simms’ proposed farm is facing legal challenges from environmental groups. With no clear federal permitting framework, the future of offshore fish farming in the Gulf is uncertain. But for people like Jackman who live near these fish farms, one thing is certain: what's at risk.

"Think twice before they put that in your area," Jackman urged.

This story is based on original reporting by Carlyle Calhoun and Boyce Upholt with the Food and Environment Reporting Network.