February 27, 2026
The Honorable Alex Padilla
U.S. Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Adam Schiff
U.S. Senate
112 Hart Senate Office
Building Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Dave Min
United States House of Representatives
1034 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
RE: Request for Support for FY27 Community Project Funding, Coast Community College District – Aquaculture Systems Center
Dear Senator Padilla, Senator Schiff, and Congressman Min,
I am writing to express my support for the Coast Community College District’s Aquaculture Systems Center.
This project will create a state-of-the-art aquaculture systems center at Orange Coast College (OCC) to support an aquaculture certificate program that started during the Fall 2025 semester and the existing marine science programs. OCC’s Marine Science Department is one of the largest marine and aquarium science departments at a community college in the country and is critical to the growing aquaculture industry in America. Aquaculture currently employs 1.7 million Americans who support a $1.5 billion industry feeding Americans 626 million pounds of seafood every year. The long-term economic impacts of the center are clear. With a fast-growing industry, the new center will serve as the main hub to train America’s future aquaculture industry professionals.
This funding will benefit this rapidly growing field and positively impact student outcomes for those seeking the Marine Science Associate Science Degree, the Applied Ocean & Technology Associate Science Degree, the Aquarium Science Certificate, and the upcoming Aquaculture Science Certificate.
I strongly encourage full and favorable consideration of this proposal. The return on investment in student achievement, retention, and engagement will be substantial and will reverberate across the campus and the broader community.
Sincerely,
Diane B. Dixon Assemblymember, 72nd District
