New aquaculture act makes waves in Canadian waters
In a historic move the Canadian government has decided to draft a new aquaculture act to help modernise the current fish farming industry systems and the aquaculture industry is showing its support.
Canada has been operating under a 150-year-old Fisheries Act. The act does not mention the word aquaculture and does not acknowledge ocean farming as an industry.
The news of an updated aquaculture act has been welcomed by most industry leaders and groups who have been lobbying for change.
"Canada is the only nation among its major international competitors to not have a stand-alone, modern act to govern aquaculture," said Susan Farquharson, executive director with the Atlantic Canada Fish Farming Association (ACFFA).
"We support the development of an aquaculture act that respects all current federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions, while avoiding duplication of processes.
“Such an act would provide the sector with a modern and coherent regulatory framework that protects the public interest, is evidence-based, efficient, predictable and accountable.
“While the Department of Fisheries and Oceans must retain its regulatory and constitutional responsibility, Canada must designate an agency that formally has the mandate to support the growth of the seafood farming sector, as with other farming sectors."
Land-based farming
"We look forward to hearing more details about the study on alternative aquaculture technologies to be carried out with Sustainable Development Technology Canada and the province of British Columbia. The move toward area-based management plans is not surprising," said Farquharson.
“We look forward to working with the federal and provincial governments, aquaculture professionals, and other ocean stakeholders as this process evolves.”
The government’s new approach includes:
- A study on land and sea-based closed containment technology;
- Moving towards an area-based approach to ensure that environmental, social and economic factors are taken into consideration when identifying potential areas for aquaculture development . This includes consideration of the migration pathways for wild salmon;
- Developing a framework for aquaculture risk management, based on the precautionary approach;
- Creating a single set of regulations, the General Aquaculture Regulations.
