AQUACULTURE IN CANADA'S ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC REGIONS
The Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries
Interim Report
Let me reassure you that we will explore every avenue to promote and expand this exciting industry in a responsible and environmentally sound way. – The Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, PC, MP, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Proceedings, 15 February 2000
‘Sustainability’ and the ‘precautionary approach’ are essentially buzz words that will have as many definitions as the number of people sitting around the table. Therefore, these notions are useless in the real life of decision-makers because they do not refer to precise standards, precise objectives or precise deliverables. ... What is really needed is risk assessment, risk management and risk communication. – Yves Bastien, DFO Commissioner for Aquaculture Development, "Conference Summary and a Vision for the Future of Aquaculture," How to Farm the Seas: the Science, Economics and Politics of Aquaculture, Montague, PEI, September 2000
To put it simply, we found at the time of doing the work, that we did not think that the Department had the tools to allow it to engage in a meaningful risk-based approach. – Ronald C. Thompson, Assistant Auditor General, International Affairs, Proceedings, 2 May 2001
Under the Oceans Act (1997), Canada is moving toward a national oceans management approach based on sustainable development, a precautionary approach, and the integration of activities occurring in and impacting on our oceans. – Environment Canada, Ecosystem Approach and Integrated Land Management – A Canadian Contribution to the Land Use Dialogue at the Eighth Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, 24 April to 5 May 2000
The spokespeople for the salmon farming industry, including government spokespeople, remain in a state of deep denial that there are any problems at all. They continue to treat criticism as a public relations challenge ... This is a serious impediment to making any real progress for cooperative action. – Lynn Hunter, Fisheries and Aquaculture Specialist, the David Suzuki Foundation, Proceedings, 9 May 2001
Many of the problems that we are dealing with now could have been prevented. Had they been prevented, we would not be operating in a crisis management mode... – Janice Harvey, Director, Marine Conservation Program, Conservation Council of New Brunswick, Proceedings, 24 April 2001
I believe we are at a crossroads … The question is whether legislators want the industry to grow. Do we want this for Canada or not? – David Rideout, Executive Director, Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, Proceedings, 8 February 2000
Aquaculture promises important economic benefits in many areas of the country. This is especially so in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, regions where finfish farming is relatively new, and where participants can learn from past mistakes. This is also the case for the farming and enhancement of shellfish, activities that are generally considered to be environmentally friendly and that appear to offer economic opportunities for small entrepreneurs and fishermen alike. The enhancement or "sea ranching" of shellfish, such as scallops, holds the promise of increasing the productivity of indigenous shellfish stocks for commercial fishers in the capture fishery.
The evidence also suggests that if salmonid aquaculture is to expand with the support of the public and other stakeholders in the marine environment, more research will be needed to address their legitimate concerns as well as to put in place the environmental standards needed to properly assess and monitor impacts. Proponents of salmon aquaculture perhaps tend to downplay the environmental risks associated with the activity, and some argue there are none, while critics contend that the industry should bear the burden of proving that there are no adverse consequences. A major problem is the dearth of objective, scientific information on a number of environmental and ecological issues. These include the potential ecological and genetic effects of escaped salmonids on local species, the interaction of fish farms with aquatic mammals and other species, the incidence and transfer of disease in farmed and wild stocks, and the environmental risks associated with the wastes discharged by farms, to name only a few. Without sound scientific knowledge, it is difficult to see how regulatory agencies can set meaningful standards, guidelines and objectives. Without such information, suspicion and distrust of the industry will continue. We recognize the significant progress made by the salmon farming industry in its management practices, and understand that every human activity has an environmental or ecological footprint. The degree of aquaculture’ impact, however, is largely unknown.
Last year in our discussions, we were reminded at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island of observations made by this Committee in a study on fish marketing tabled in Parliament more than a decade ago, in 1989. That report observed that much of the controversy over the effects of fish farms on water quality and the health of wild fish stocks, and over the effects of medicated feeds and other substances used by the finfish industry, was due largely to the lack of comprehensive data and studies.(58) The Committee advised that strong federal responsibility must be accepted, particularly in the areas of preventive veterinary medicine, disease diagnostics, and the monitoring of fish habitats. The questions asked back then still need answers today. Answers are important in the context of the decline of wild salmon in Canada’s Pacific and Atlantic regions.
More research will require an investment in additional resources. The amount of incremental funding ($12.5 million over five years, or $2.5 million annually) for environmental and ecological research for the whole of Canada – as was announced in August 2000 under the Program for Sustainable Aquaculture – is less than adequate when compared to the amount of incremental funding for applied R&D (e.g., under the PSA’s Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development) and other activities aimed at promoting the sector’s efficiency and competitiveness.
It may be argued that the findings of further research may not provide the answers quickly enough. On reducing risks, a number of submissions that were made to the Committee called on government to invoke the so-called "precautionary approach" (PA), commonly defined as "erring on the side of caution" when dealing with uncertainty. This approach focuses on the degree of certainty of knowledge needed before politicians and authorities can initiate action on possible environmental problems. According to the PA, even when the outcome of an activity is uncertain and scientific evidence is inconclusive, measures should be taken to avoid the potential negative or adverse effects. The approach was succinctly stated in the Rio Declaration from the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development as follows:
In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation (Principle 15).
In the traditional fisheries, the precautionary approach is a concept endorsed by the federal government and is a cornerstone of the Oceans Act (Part II, section 30 (c)); it is also incorporated in a number of international commitments and agreements to which Canada is a signatory.(59) The principle was advocated by this Committee in reports on the traditional capture fisheries tabled in 1998, 1995, 1993, and as early as 1989. On aquaculture, in December 2000, the Auditor General concluded that the DFO will need to apply the precautionary approach to salmon aquaculture in British Columbia by: applying new knowledge from ongoing research in the development of new regulations; monitoring and enforcing compliance with new regulations over the long term; and assessing the effectiveness of these regulations in protecting wild salmon.
Lastly, it is incumbent on the DFO to ensure that its policies and decisions on the best use of the marine environment are for the benefit of all Canadians – aquaculturists and non-aquaculturists alike. In this regard, the DFO also has an important role to play in creating an environment in which the fish farming industry and the traditional (wild) fishery, Aboriginal people, conservationists, environmental groups, and other stakeholders can co-exist. This is especially so because of its emerging role in coastal zone management under the Oceans Act. The Act provides the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans with the authority to coordinate federal involvement in all oceans-related issues. It also paves the way for the development of a comprehensive "Oceans Strategy" based on the principles of integrated management, shared stewardship, sustainable development, and the precautionary approach.
1. Given the shared jurisdictional nature of aquaculture in Canada, the Committee recommends that the Government of Canada and the provincial and territorial governments, and other appropriate jurisdictions, increase their efforts to work collaboratively toward clarifying their respective roles and responsibilities in the regulation of the sector.
2. The Committee recommends that the Auditor General of Canada undertake a comprehensive audit in the Atlantic region, similar to that conducted last year in the Pacific region, to determine whether the DFO is meeting its legislative obligations under sections 35 and 36 of the Fisheries Act, and its obligations under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act when carrying out environmental reviews of aquaculture project proposals.
3. The Committee recommends that the Minister of the DFO give due consideration to the Department’s legislative mandate for wild fish and fish habitat when responding to recommendations made by the Commissioner for Aquaculture Development.
4. The Committee recommends that before the recommendations and action plan outlined in the report of the Commissioner for Aquaculture Development are implemented, those recommendations be the focus of public consultation with all users of aquatic marine resources.
5. The Committee recommends, as general principles on siting, that:
- the federal government promote the development of the aquaculture industry in those areas where the potential environmental risks are lowest, where there is community acceptance, and where the long-term economic benefits to coastal communities are reasonably assured;
- grow-out sites for salmonid fish be prohibited near migratory routes as well as near rivers and streams that support wild salmon stocks;
- when considering aquaculture lease site applications, government develop policies and measures to ensure that the decision-making process is open, transparent and fair. Ideally, local or municipal advisory committees – comprising a balanced cross-section of local interests and stakeholders – should be established to ensure full, meaningful and effective public participation and input in siting decisions; and
- the possible economic opportunities of alternative uses of the shoreline be taken into account.
6. The Committee recommends that, in developing a national code for sustainable aquaculture, government and industry adhere to the principles and standards for aquaculture set out in Articles 9.1, 9.2, 9.3 and 9.4 of the 1995 United Nations FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.
7. The Committee recommends, on a priority basis, that the federal government invest more research resources to:
- determine the assimilative capacities of aquatic ecosystems in areas and regions where salmonid aquaculture is taking place, or may in future take place. Such research is needed to ensure that the industry remains within ecological limits and that fish habitat and the sustainability of the wild fishery are not compromised. At present, the cumulative impacts of aquaculture on ecosystems where the majority of farmed salmon originates is unknown;
- assess the presence of non-indigenous salmonid populations on both coasts of Canada, and their ecological interactions and impacts;
- determine the probability of disease and parasite transfer between cultured salmon and wild fish;
- determine the uptake in the food chain of therapeutants and other substances found beneath or near salmonid net-cage sites; and
- reduce the environmental impact of finfish aquaculture, such as the development of new feeds that are environmentally friendly.
8. The Committee recommends that industry consideration be given to the identification and labelling of aquaculture products.
9. The Committee recommends that the DFO and the Department’s provincial counterparts support and promote initiatives aimed at enhancing or "sea ranching" indigenous species of shellfish, such as scallops. The Department should provide the sector with an appropriate and supportive policy and regulatory framework.
10. The Committee recommends that, in terms of government financial support, shellfish aquaculture be given high priority.
11. The Committee recommends that the federal government fund multi-year research aimed at diversifying the species mix in aquaculture. As the main beneficiary, the aquaculture industry should share in the effort and cost of this research.
12. The Committee recommends that the federal government play a leadership role in research and development by supporting and funding initiatives aimed at developing closed containment finfish-rearing technologies, both land-based and in marine waters.
13. The Committee recommends that the commercial cultivation of genetically modified (transgenic) fish and shellfish for human consumption continue to be prohibited in Canada, and that research on them continue to be restricted to secure, self-contained, land-based facilities.
14. The Committee recommends that the DFO define the "precautionary approach" as it pertains to aquaculture, and issue a written public statement on how the precautionary approach is being applied to the aquaculture sector.
FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, Article 9 – Aquaculture Development
Article 9 – Aquaculture Development
9.1 Responsible development of aquaculture, including culture-based fisheries, in areas under national jurisdiction
9.1.1 States should establish, maintain and develop an appropriate legal and administrative framework which facilitates the development of responsible aquaculture.
9.1.2 States should promote responsible development and management of aquaculture, including an advance evaluation of the effects of aquaculture development on genetic diversity and ecosystem integrity, based on the best available scientific information.
9.1.3 States should produce and regularly update aquaculture development strategies and plans, as required, to ensure that aquaculture development is ecologically sustainable and to allow the rational use of resources shared by aquaculture and other activities.
9.1.4 States should ensure that the livelihoods of local communities, and their access to fishing grounds, are not negatively affected by aquaculture developments.
9.1.5 States should establish effective procedures specific to aquaculture to undertake appropriate environmental assessment and monitoring with the aim of minimizing adverse ecological changes and related economic and social consequences resulting from water extraction, land use, discharge of effluents, use of drugs and chemicals, and other aquaculture activities.9.2 Responsible development of aquaculture including culture-based fisheries within transboundary aquatic ecosystems
9.2.1 States should protect transboundary aquatic ecosystems by supporting responsible aquaculture practices within their national jurisdiction and by cooperation in the promotion of sustainable aquaculture practices.
9.2.2 States should, with due respect to their neighbouring States, and in accordance with international law, ensure responsible choice of species, siting and management of aquaculture activities which could affect transboundary aquatic ecosystems.
9.2.3 States should consult with their neighbouring States, as appropriate, before introducing non-indigenous species into transboundary aquatic ecosystems.
9.2.4 States should establish appropriate mechanisms, such as databases and information networks to collect, share and disseminate data related to their aquaculture activities to facilitate cooperation on planning for aquaculture development at the national, subregional, regional and global level.
9.2.5 States should cooperate in the development of appropriate mechanisms, when required, to monitor the impacts of inputs used in aquaculture.9.3 Use of aquatic genetic resources for the purposes of aquaculture including culture-based fisheries
9.3.1 States should conserve genetic diversity and maintain integrity of aquatic communities and ecosystems by appropriate management. In particular, efforts should be undertaken to minimize the harmful effects of introducing non-native species or genetically altered stocks used for aquaculture including culture-based fisheries into waters, especially where there is a significant potential for the spread of such non-native species or genetically altered stocks into waters under the jurisdiction of other States as well as waters under the jurisdiction of the State of origin. States should, whenever possible, promote steps to minimize adverse genetic, disease and other effects of escaped farmed fish on wild stocks.
9.3.2 States should cooperate in the elaboration, adoption and implementation of international codes of practice and procedures for introductions and transfers of aquatic organisms.
9.3.3 States should, in order to minimize risks of disease transfer and other adverse effects on wild and cultured stocks, encourage adoption of appropriate practices in the genetic improvement of broodstocks, the introduction of non-native species, and in the production, sale and transport of eggs, larvae or fry, broodstock or other live materials. States should facilitate the preparation and implementation of appropriate national codes of practice and procedures to this effect.
9.3.4 States should promote the use of appropriate procedures for the selection of broodstock and the production of eggs, larvae and fry.
9.3.5 States should, where appropriate, promote research and, when feasible, the development of culture techniques for endangered species to protect, rehabilitate and enhance their stocks, taking into account the critical need to conserve genetic diversity of endangered species.9.4 Responsible aquaculture at the production level
9.4.1 States should promote responsible aquaculture practices in support of rural communities, producer organizations and fish farmers.
9.4.2 States should promote active participation of fishfarmers and their communities in the development of responsible aquaculture management practices.
9.4.3 States should promote efforts which improve selection and use of appropriate feeds, feed additives and fertilizers, including manures.
9.4.4 States should promote effective farm and fish health management practices favouring hygienic measures and vaccines. Safe, effective and minimal use of therapeutants, hormones and drugs, antibiotics and other disease control chemicals should be ensured.
9.4.5 States should regulate the use of chemical inputs in aquaculture which are hazardous to human health and the environment.
9.4.6 States should require that the disposal of wastes such as offal, sludge, dead or diseased fish, excess veterinary drugs and other hazardous chemical inputs does not constitute a hazard to human health and the environment.
9.4.7 States should ensure the food safety of aquaculture products and promote efforts which maintain product quality and improve their value through particular care before and during harvesting and on-site processing and in storage and transport of the products.
WITNESSES
| Date | Name |
| 37th Parliament – 1st Session | |
| April 24, 2001 |
From the Conservation Council of New Brunswick: (By VIDEO-CONFERENCE) Ms. Inka Milewski, Vice President, Policy; Ms. Janice Harvey, Director, Marine Conservation Program. |
| May 1, 2001 |
From the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance: Mr. David Rideout, Executive Director. |
| May 2, 2001 |
From the Office of the Auditor General of Canada: Mr. Ronald C. Thompson, Assistant Auditor General, International Affairs; Mr. Gerry Chu, Director, Audit Operations Branch; Mr. John Sokolowski, Senior Auditor, Audit Operations Branch. From the Department of
Fisheries and Oceans: |
| May 9, 2001 |
From the David Suzuki Foundation: (By VIDEO-CONFERENCE) Ms. Lynn Hunter, Fisheries and Aquaculture Specialist. From the University of
Victoria: From the Kwakuitl Territorial Fisheries Commission: |
| May 15, 2001 | From the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries - Nova
Scotia: Mr. Peter Underwood, Deputy Minister. |
| May 29, 2001 |
From the Association des pêcheurs de pétoncles des
Îles: Mr. Sylvain Vigneau From the Department of Fisheries and Oceans |
WITNESSES
| Date | Name |
| 36th Parliament – 2nd Session | |
| February 8, 2000 | From the Canadian
Aquaculture Industry Alliance: |
| February 15, 2000 | From the Department of
Fisheries and Oceans: |
| February 22, 2000 | From the Department of
Fisheries and Oceans: |
From Aqua Health Ltd.: |
|
| March 21, 2000 | From the Department of Fisheries and
Oceans: Mr. David Bevan, Director General, Resource Management; Mr. Lorne Anderson, A/Director General, Aquaculture Restructuring Adjustment; Mr. Micheal Edwards, Senior Advisor, Aquaculture; Ms. Susan Farlinger, A/Director, Aboriginal Fisheries, Pacific Region. |
|
|
From the Department of
Fisheries and Oceans: |
| April 4, 2000 | From the Department of
Fisheries and Oceans: |
| May 30, 2000 | From the B.C. Shellfish Growers
Association: (By VIDEO-CONFERENCE) Mr. Sam Bowman, President; and Ms. Ruth Salmon, Executive Director. |
| June 13, 2000 | From the Sport Fishing Advisory Board: (By VIDEO-CONFERENCE) Mr. Jeremy Maynard, Chairman. |
| From the Sport Fishing Institute of B.C.: (By VIDEO-CONFERENCE) Mr. Tom Bird, Executive Director. |
|
| From the B.C. Wildlife Federation: (By VIDEO-CONFERENCE) Mr. Wayne Harling, Chair, Saltwater Fisheries Committee. |
|
| From Alberni Valley Sport Fishing
Association: (By VIDEO-CONFERENCE) Ms. Marilyn Murphy, Secretary. |
EXHIBITS
37th Parliament – 1st Session
Exhibit #3: |
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ottawa, ON |
Exhibit #4-10: |
Conservation Council of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB |
Exhibit #12: |
Professor Richard Moccia, Co-ordinator, Aquaculture Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON |
Exhibit #13: |
Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, Ottawa, ON |
Exhibit #14: |
The Office of the Auditor General of Canada, Ottawa, ON |
Exhibit #15: |
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ottawa, ON |
Exhibit #17: |
The David Suzuki Foundation, Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #18: |
Dr. John Volpe, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC |
Exhibit #19: |
Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Halifax, NS |
Exhibit #20: |
British Columbia Ministry of Fisheries, Victoria, BC |
Exhibit #21: |
Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, Ottawa, ON |
| Exhibit #22: | Association des pêcheurs de pétoncles des Îles, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, QC |
| Exhibit #23 | Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ottawa, ON |
EXHIBITS
36th Parliament – 2nd Session
Exhibit #1: |
Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, Ottawa, ON |
Exhibit #2: |
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ottawa, ON |
Exhibit #3: |
New Brunswick Aboriginal Peoples Council, Fredericton, NB |
Exhibit #4: |
Commissioner for Aquaculture Development, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ottawa, ON |
Exhibit #5: |
Aqua Health Ltd., Ottawa, ON |
Exhibit #6: |
St. Andrew's Biological Station, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, St. Andrews, NB |
Exhibit #7: |
New Brunswick Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Fredericton, NB |
Exhibit #8: |
Huntsman Marine Science Centre, St. Andrews, NB |
Exhibit #9: |
Jail Island Salmon, St. George, NB |
Exhibit #10: |
Atlantic Salmon Federation, St. Andrews, NB |
Exhibit #11: |
Botsford Professional Fishermen's Association Inc., Murray Corner, NB |
Exhibit #12: |
Maritime Fishermen's Union, Shediac, NB |
Exhibit #13: |
New Brunswick Salmon Growers' Association, St. George, NB |
Exhibit #14: |
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ottawa, ON |
Exhibit #15: |
Department of Fisheries and Oceans , Ottawa, ON |
Exhibit #16: |
Sheena Queen Charlotte Regional Council, Prince Rupert, BC |
Exhibit #17: |
Marine Stewardship Council, Prince Rupert, BC |
Exhibit #18: |
Odd Eidsvik , Prince Rubert, BC |
Exhibit #19: |
Living Ocean Society, Port McNeil, BC |
Exhibit #20: |
Raincoast Research Society, Port McNeil, BC |
Exhibit #21: |
British Columbia Salmon Farmers Association, Campbell River, BC |
Exhibit #22: |
Englewood Packing Col. Ltd., Port McNeil, BC |
Exhibit #23: |
Kwakiutl Territorial Fisheries Commission, Alert Bay, BC |
Exhibit #24: |
Musgamaga Tsawataineuk Tribal Council, Alert Bay, BC |
Exhibit #25: |
Village of Alert Bay, Alert Bay, BC |
Exhibit #26: |
Gawawaenuk Tribe, Alert Bay, BC |
Exhibit #27: |
OrcaLab, Alert Bay, BC |
Exhibit #28: |
B.C. Salmon Farmers Association, Tofino, BC |
Exhibit #29: |
Regional Aquatic Management Society, Ucluelet, BC |
Exhibit #30: |
West Coast Sustainability Association, Ucluelet, BC |
Exhibit #31: |
Nua-chah-nulth Tribal Council, Ucluelet, BC |
Exhibit #32: |
The David Suzuki Foundation, Duncan, BC |
Exhibit #33: |
Georgia Strait Alliance, Duncan, BC |
Exhibit #34: |
Cowichan Regional Fishers' Co-op, Duncan, BC |
Exhibit #35: |
Alberni Valley Sportfishing Association, Port Alberni, BC |
Exhibit #36: |
Redl Sports Distributors, Duncan, BC |
Exhibit #37: |
B.C. Fisheries Survival Coalition, Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #38: |
United Fishermen & Allied Workers Union, Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #39: |
Taplow Feeds, Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #40: |
Native Brotherhood of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #41: |
Karen Wilson, Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #42: |
Fisheries Renewal British Columbia, Duncan, BC |
Exhibit #43: |
Doug Massey, Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #44: |
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ottawa, ON |
Exhibit #45: |
Conservation Council of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB |
Exhibit #46: |
British Columbia Seafood Alliance, Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #47: |
Pacific Trollers' Association, Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #48: |
Pacific Halibut Management Association of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #49: |
Native Fishing Association, Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #50: |
Canadian Council of Professional Fish Harvesters, Ottawa, ON |
Exhibit #51: |
United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union, Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #52: |
Pacific Halibut Management Association of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #53: |
Northern Trollers' Association, Prince Rupert, BC |
Exhibit #58: |
The Friends of Clayoquot Sound, Tofino, BC |
Exhibit #64: |
MariCulture Systems, Lake Stevens, Washington, USA |
Exhibit #65: |
British Columbia Shellfish Growers Association, Duncan, BC |
Exhibit #66: |
British Columbia Ministry of Fisheries, and BC STATS, Victoria, BC |
Exhibit #67-68: |
British Columbia Ministry of Fisheries, Victoria, BC |
Exhibit #69: |
J. Paul & Associates and the British Columbia Ministry of Fisheries, Victoria, BC |
Exhibit #70: |
J. Paul & Associates and the British Columbia Ministry of Fisheries, Victoria, BC |
Exhibit #71: |
ARA Consulting Group Inc., Vancouver, BC |
Exhibit #72: |
British Columbia Ministry of Fisheries, Victoria, BC |
Exhibit #74: |
Jennifer & Doug Caines, Pools Cove, NF |
Exhibit #75: |
Coast of Bays Corporation, Harbour Breton, NF |
Exhibit #76-77: |
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, St. John's, NF |
Exhibit #78: |
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Charlottetown, PE |
Exhibit #79: |
Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE |
Exhibit #80: |
Nova Scotia Aquaculture Association, Halifax, NS |
Exhibit #81: |
Scotian Halibut Ltd., Clark's Harbour, NS |
Exhibit #82: |
Cooke Aquaculture, Saddle Island, NS |
Exhibit #83: |
Residents Association of Southwest and Northwest Cove, West Shore, NS |
Exhibit #92 |
South West Shore Development Authority, Yarmouth, NS |
Exhibit #95 |
Quebec Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Quebec, QC |
Exhibit #96 |
SeaWeb Aquaculture Clearinghouse, Providence, Rhode Island, USA |
Exhibit #97 |
Newfoundland & Labrador Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, St. John's, NF |
| Date | MEETINGS & TOURS |
| 36th Parliament – 2nd Session | |
| February 29, 2000 TOURS: St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, N.B. |
Tour of cage site Tour of aquaculture facilities of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Huntsman Marine Science Centre Tour of Atlantic Salmon Federation Conservation Centre Dr. John M. Anderson, Former Director DFO Biological Station, Chairman, Huntsman Marine Science, and Vice-President Operations, Atlantic Salmon Federation |
| February 29, 2000 MEETINGS: St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, N.B.
|
From: Department of Fisheries and Oceans Dr. Tom Sephton, Director, DFO Biological Station Dr. David Aiken, Leader, Applied Aquaculture Section Dr. Fred Page, Research Scientist Dr. Kats Haya, Research Scientist From: N.B. Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture From: Huntsman Marine Science Centre From: Industry From: Atlantic Salmon Federation |
| March 1, 2000 MEETINGS: Murray Corner, N.B. |
From: Botsford Professional
Fishermen’s Association Inc. Mrs. Donna Murray Ms. Leslie-Anne Davidson Ms. Lorelei Grecian Mr. Réjean Vienneau Mr. Alfred Arsenault Mr. Fidèle Arsenault Mr. Wayne Brownell Mr. Roderick Pauley Mr. Hanson Spence Mr. Tony Trenholm Mr. Steward Murray Mr. Gary O’Hanley Mr. John Dulenty |
| Shédiac, N.B. |
From: The Maritime Fishermen’s Union Mr. Michael Belliveau Mr. François Beaudin Mr. Herménégil Robichaud Mr. Réginald Comeau Mr. Amédée Savoie Mr. Léon Lanteigne Mr. Sylvestre McLaughlin Mr. Ron Cormier |
| Moncton, N.B. |
From: Aquaculture Acadienne Ltd. Mr. Maurice Daigle From: Centpak From: Atlantic Oyster Company |
| March 2, 2000 MEETINGS: Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec |
From: Fisheries and Oceans Canada Mr. Roger Simon, Resource Manager and Area Representative Mr. Sylvain Vigneau Biologist and Scallop Farmer Secretary, Quebec Sea Farmers Group Representative, Sea Farmers Vice-president, Quebec Fisheries and Aquaculture Group Member, Quebec Sea Farming Round Table Member, Board of Directors, Quebec Sea Farming Development Corporation |
| March 2, 2000 TOUR: Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec |
Tour of Seafood Factory Mr. Jacques Chevarie Director Madeliner Inc. |
| March 27, 2000 MEETINGS: Prince Rupert, B.C. |
From: Skeena Queen Charlotte Regional
District Ms. Sheila Dobie Seafood Development Project Coordinator From: BC Chamber of Commerce As an individual From: Octopus Development Institute From: Marine Stewardship Council From: Eidsvik & Associates |
| March 28, 2000 MEETINGS: Port Hardy, B.C. |
From: United Fishermen and Allied Workers
Union Mr. Bruce Burrows Marine Protected Area Outreach Coordinator Living Ocean Society, and Secretary Treasurer, Sointula Local From: Raincoast Research Society |
| March 28, 2000 TOURS: Port Hardy, B.C.
Alert Bay, B.C.
|
Tour – Englewood Packing Company Mr. Dave Pashley Manager Ms. Anita Peterson North Island Representative B.C. Salmon Farmers Association
Tour of U’Mista Cultural Centre
|
| March 28, 2000 MEETINGS: Alert Bay, B.C |
From : Village of Alert Bay Mr. Gilbert Popovich Mayor Mrs. Monique Jeffrey Chief Administrative Officer
From: Namgis First Nation Mr. George Speck Mr. Michael Berry Chief William Cranmer |
| From: Kwakuitl Territorial Fisheries
Commission Mr. Pat Alfred President Ms. Maxine Bruce From: Tsawataineuk First Nation |
|
|
|
From: Kwicksutaineuk Ahkwa’ mis
First Nation Chief Sandy Johnson Ms. Dory Johnson
From: Gwawaenuk First Nation
From : Musgamagw Tsawataineuk Tribal Council |
| MEETING : | From: Orca Research Dr. Paul Spong |
| March 29, 2000 TOUR: Tofino, B.C |
Tour of Salmon Farm Mr. Marcel Gijssen Mr. Harry K. Hammer Mr. William G. Vernon |
| March 29, 2000 MEETINGS: Ucluelet, B.C |
From: West Coast Sustainability Association Mr. Dan Edwards Executive Director Mr. Trevor Wickham Programs Coordinator From: Regional Aquatic Management Society (RAMS) From: Friends of Clayoquot Sound |
| From: Tanner Crab Project Ms. Julie Edwards Project Coordinator |
|
| March 29, 2000 TOUR: Ucluelet, B.C |
Tour of Hake Plant Mr. Mike Buston |
| March 29, 2000 MEETINGS: Ucluelet, B.C |
From: Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council Mr. Don Hall Mr. Roy Alexander Mr. Archie Little Mr. Richard Watts From: Ucluelet First Nation From : British Columbia Aboriginal Fisheries Commission |
| March 30, 2000 MEETINGS: Duncan, B.C |
From: The David Suzuki Foundation Ms. Lynn Hunter Fisheries and Aquaculture Specialist From: Cowichan Fishermen’s Association From: Georgia Strait Alliance Mr. Howard Breen
From: West Coast Trollers From: University of Victoria From: Coastal Communities Network Mr. Bruce Milne |
| March 31, 2000 MEETINGS: Duncan, B.C |
From: Fisheries Renewal Mr. Paul Kariya Chief Executive Officer
|
| Vancouver, B.C. |
From: B.C. Fisheries Survival Coalition Mr. Phil Eidsvik Executive Director |
| From : United Fishermen & Allied
Workers Union Mr. David Lane Director of Research |
|
| From: Taplow Feeds Dr. Brad Hicks From: B.C. Seafood Alliance From : Native Fishing Association From: Native Brotherhood of B.C. As individuals |
|
| June 5, 2000 MEETINGS: Gander, Nfld. |
From: Fisheries and Oceans Canada Mr.
Jim Davis, Chief Mr. Vern Pepper Mr. Larry Yetman |
| June 5, 2000 TOUR: Harbour Breton, Nfld. |
Tour by boat of Mussel Operations From:
Newfoundland & Labrador Department of Fisheries & Aquaculture Ms. Elizabeth Barlow
From: Town of Harbour Breton
From: Coast of Bay Corporation
Boat Operator, The Lady Sarah
From: Con-Aqua Mussel Farm |
| June 5, 2000 MEETING: Pool’s Cove, Nfld. |
From: Shell Fresh Farms Doug and Jennifer Caines |
| June 6, 2000 TOURS: St. Alban’s , Nfld. |
Tour by boat to Margery Cove Mr. Gerry
Barter Mr. Clyde Collier Tour of Fish Hatchery Mr. Brian Hull Mr. Daryl Whelan |
| June 6, 2000 TOUR: St. Peter’s Bay, P.E.I. |
Tour of Atlantic Shellfish Company Mr.
Russell Dockendorff Jr. |
| June 7, 2000 MEETINGS: Charlottetown, P.E.I. |
From: PEI Department of Fisheries and
Tourism Mr. Lewis P. Creed Mr. Richard Gallant
From: PEI Aquaculture Alliance From: Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
| June 7, 2000 MEETINGS: Charlottetown, P.E.I. |
From: Veterinary College University of
Prince Edward Island |
| June 8, 2000 MEETINGS: Yarmouth, N.S. |
From: Fisheries & Oceans Canada Mr. Darrell Harris, Senior Advisor Aquaculture Aquaculture Coordination Office
From: N.S. Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture Division
From: Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia
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| June 8, 2000 TOUR: Woods Harbour, N.S. |
Tour of Aquaculture Facilities (land-based operation) |
| June 8, 2000 MEETING: Woods Harbour, N.S. |
From: Scotian Halibut Mr. Peter Swimm
Mr. Brian Blanchard |
| June 8, 2000 TOUR : Port Mouton, N.S. |
Tour by boat of Aquaculture Facilities |
| June 8, 2000 MEETING: Port Mouton, N.S. |
From: Port MoutonAqua Gem Farms Ltd. Mr. Mike Raynard President |
| June 8, 2000 MEETING: Western Shore, N.S. |
From: Cooke Aquaculture Mr. Glen Cooke, Chief Executive Officer Mr. Jim Dunphy, Chief Operating Officer Mr. Bob Sweeney, Executive Director, Development Mr. Mike Szemerda, Seawater Products Manager |
| June 9, 2000 MEETING: Western Shore, N.S. |
From: Residents Association of Southwest
& Northwest Cove Mr. Philip Lamont Mr. Lawson Miller President, Seldon Miller Fisheries; and Mr. Vincent Boutillier Mr. Peter Cobbold |
| June 9, 2000 TOUR: Saddle Island, N.S. |
Tour by boat of salmon cages (Cooke Aquaculture) |
| June 9, 2000 TOUR: Mahone Bay, N.S. |
Tour by boat to see mussels harvesting and tour of plant |
| June 9, 2000 MEETING: Mahone Bay, N.S. |
From: Indian Point Marine Farms Mr. Peter Darnell President |
(1) Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries, The Marketing of Fish in Canada: Interim Report on the West Coast Fisheries, December 1987. See also Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Commercial Aquaculture in Canada, Supply and Services Canada, 1988, p. 3.
(2) About 21% (or 31 million tonnes) of the world’s total wild fisheries production (mostly small pelagic fishes, such as anchovy, jack mackerel, herring, and sardine) is converted to animal feeds. About 15% of this total is said to be used in fish feeds.
(3) In those early years, hatchery production concentrated on salmon and trout to augment or re-establish wild populations, or to establish populations where none had existed before. Other species have been farmed for some time. For example, Pacific oysters have been cultivated in B.C. since the 1920s, making shellfish culture the oldest sector of the aquaculture industry on the West Coast of North America.
(4) "Salmonids" are fish of the family Salmonidae, such as salmon, char, and steelhead trout.
(5) All provinces are responsible for issuing licences for aquaculture operations, except Prince Edward Island, which decided in 1928 to leave that responsibility with the federal government.
(6) The federal departments and agencies involved in aquaculture include the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Environment Canada, Industry Canada (the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Western Economic Diversification Canada, the Federal Development Initiative in Northern Ontario, the National Research Council, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions), Statistics Canada, the Canadian Resources Development Agency, Human Resources Development Canada, Health Canada (the Bureau of Veterinary Drugs, the Pest Management Agency), the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Farm Credit Corporation, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Natural Resources Canada, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, the Department of Finance, Canadian Heritage, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.
(7) In 1995, the DFO terminated the position of Director, Aquaculture Policy, due to lack of resources. During this period, the Department withdrew from freshwater aquaculture, and wound down its aquaculture program in the Central and Arctic Region and in the Laurentian Region.
(8) Department of Fisheries and Oceans, "A Program For Sustainable Development," Backgrounder, August 2000.
(9) The review focused on three objectives: to provide the aquaculture sector with clear and transparent rules; to ensure that there is a stable environment in the long term; and to provide government officials with clear and consistent guidelines on how to apply current policies and regulations to the aquaculture sector.
(10) Section 35 deals with harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat; section 36 prohibits the deposit of deleterious substances in waters frequented by fish.
(11) The Alliance is a national sector council initially sponsored by the Department of Human Resources Development to represent the interests of Canadian aquaculture operators, feed companies and suppliers, as well as provincial finfish and shellfish aquaculture associations.
(12) Japan was cited as an illustrative example of a country that had been integrating aquaculture and the traditional fisheries since the early 1960s as means of promoting its coastal fisheries. That country was said to use aquaculture technology on about 80 species, including those under technical development. Major successes were reportedly achieved with scallop, flounder, sea bream, prawn, urchin and abalone.
(13) Yves Bastien, DFO Commissioner for Aquaculture Development, Proceedings, 22 February 2000. When the Commissioner was appointed in December 1998, he set out with three objectives, one of which was to convince the fisheries sector of the benefits of fish farming and the advantages of participating more actively in it. The other two objectives were to undertake a review of the legal framework governing aquaculture, and to improve public perceptions of the industry.
(14) The other approach is the development of full-cycle cod aquaculture from hatchery-reared cod, which is in the research and development stage.
(15) Inka Milewski, President, Policy, Conservation Council of New Brunswick, Proceedings, 24 April 2001. The Aquaculture’s Commissioner’s recent report states the following: "(T)he industry is now at the point in its business cycle where Canada will not be able to successfully compete in the global marketplace unless costs are reduced..." Office of the Commissioner for Aquaculture Development, Legislative and Regulatory Review of Aquaculture in Canada, DFO Communications Branch, March 2001.
(16) See also the David Suzuki Foundation, "Latest StatsCan Data Showed BC Salmon Farming Industry Operating in the Red," News Release, 14 April 1999.
(17) For salmonids, there are summer cage sites and winter sites, so that every site is fallowed annually. We were told that there had never been a traditional wild fishery in the region.
(18) One farm alone was said to be producing at five times the level approved in its original tenure.
(19) Other aspects of the provincial policy include the implementation of stricter siting criteria to protect environmental, recreational and other resource values, and engaging coastal communities and First Nations in a comprehensive consultation process to ensure that relocated farms have community support. As of 22 May 2001, a total of 11 farms were identified for relocation, four of which have received full approval by both the provincial and federal agencies to relocate to an approved alternative site.
(20) Where an activity is likely to result in harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat or in deposit of a deleterious substance, the Minister is authorized under section 37 of the Fisheries Act to request information about planned activities and to require modifications or restrict the proposed activity.
(21) Office of the Commissioner for Aquaculture Development, Legislative and Regulatory Review of Aquaculture in Canada, DFO Communications Branch, March 2001.
(22) Under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, a "responsible authority," such as the DFO, can apply to the Environmental Assessment Agency to have a report (or reports) declared as a class screening report for future projects. A class screening report is said to present the accumulated knowledge about the environmental effects of a given class or type of project and identifies the known measures to mitigate those environmental effects. Once approved by the Agency, a class screening report can be used as a model in conducting screenings of other projects within the same class. Such a report is considered acceptable for any class of projects where there is a sound knowledge of the environmental effects and appropriate mitigation measures, such as classes of projects that are routine and repetitive. In applying a class screening report to a project, site-specific circumstances and cumulative environmental effects must be taken into account.
(23) Uneaten fish feed and faecal wastes are a source of nutrient pollution (carbon-based organic matter and nitrogen and phosphorous compounds) that reduces the oxygen content of water and that is unfavourable for both farmed fish and the ecosystem. It is suspected that nutrients released from salmon farms stimulate micro-algal blooms.
(24) In January 2001, provincial fisheries inspectors in B.C. completed their annual cycle of inspections of salmon farms, and found all of them to be in compliance with the requirements of their aquaculture licences. However, in April 2001, a report by the B.C. Ministry of the Environment determined that, as a whole, the salmon farming industry needed to improve its compliance with provincial regulations governing such things as the improper disposal of sewage, net waste, and blood water from on-site fish gutting, as well as failure to keep proper documentation on fish farm practices.
(25) In October 1999, the Government of British Columbia announced that new regulations would be based on strictly enforced environmental standards that stipulate the allowable impact farms may have on the seabed and water quality below and around their net-pens. Under the policy, salmon farmers would be required to conduct routine monitoring of the impacts on the area surrounding their net-pens, and if the impacts exceeded acceptable limits, they would be required to change management practices.
(26) The Auditor General’s December 2000 report noted that it was acknowledged that there was evidence of damage to the sea bed below and adjacent to the salmon farm. The individual in question, a former Member of Parliament (Lynn Hunter of the David Suzuki Foundation), explained to the Committee that neither the provincial government nor the DFO had acted upon a 1996-1997 provincial report (obtained through the Access to Information Act); the report found that wastes were accumulating and spreading beyond the farm.
(27) Established in February 1997, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is a charitable, not-for-profit, non-governmental, international organization set up to "promote sustainable fisheries and responsible fishing practices world-wide." The Council aims to "develop long-term, market-based solutions which meet the needs and objectives of both the environment and commerce." The MSC’s mission is "to work for sustainable marine fisheries by promoting responsible, environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable fisheries practices, while maintaining the biodiversity, productivity and ecological processes of the marine environment." Central to the organization’s purpose are its "Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing," against which independent certification companies may certify fisheries on a voluntary basis. Certified stakeholders are eligible to use the MSC logo so as to assure consumers that the fishery products they purchase come from well-managed and sustainable fisheries.
(28) Responsibility for administering section 36 of the Fisheries Act (dealing with deleterious substances) has been delegated to Environment Canada, under the terms of a 1985 Fisheries and Oceans/Environment Canada Memorandum of Understanding.
(29) The report noted that there is potential conflict between B.C.’s planned performance-based standards and section 35 of the federal Fisheries Act, and that the DFO had not yet provided information on how it would determine the administrative criteria for sections 35 and 36 of the Act. In May 2001, Committee members were informed that the B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks was developing performance-based standards under its Waste Management Act to regulate fish farm wastes in consultation with industry and the DFO.
(30) Environmentalists sometimes use the term "smart pollution" because alien species may proliferate and spread, compared to chemical pollution which does not reproduce and which dissipates over time. If they become established in their new surroundings, there are many possible scenarios. New predator-prey relationships may be created, which may drive away native species or even wipe them out. The new dominant populations may also go unchecked and quickly explode. There are many past examples of damage caused by such species (e.g., the zebra mussel).
(31) DFO, Interaction Between Wild and Farmed Salmon in the Maritime Provinces, DFO Maritimes Regional Habitat Status Report 99/E.
(32) Expert Panel of the Committee on Expert Panels of the Royal Society of Canada, Elements of Precaution: Recommendations for the Regulation of Food Biotechnology in Canada, February 2001. Escapees can be identified on the basis of body shape, fin erosion, and by the growth patterns on scales.
(33) Last year, Committee members learned that the Atlantic Salmon Federation and Trout Unlimited had filed a lawsuit in 1999 seeking emergency listing for wild salmon in Maine because of the threat posed by the use of European strains. Salmon in Maine rivers were listed under the Endangered Species Act in November 2000. In early May 2001, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada decided that the wild Atlantic salmon in 33 inner Bay of Fundy rivers needed endangered species listing. The rivers include all those east of the St. John River in New Brunswick and east of Digby in Nova Scotia.
(34) Proponents also argued that, to be competitive, growers be allowed to use the best performing strains of finfish for local rearing conditions. See for example, Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries, 4 October 2000. The preferred stock for commercial production was said to be from the Saint John River.
(35) Canada has promoted the establishment of a North Atlantic NASCO-Aquaculture Liaison Group aimed at facilitating exchanges between wild and salmon aquaculture interests and dedicated to specific initiatives, including the development of a physical code of containment.
(36) The importation of European salmon eggs and live fish is not permitted under current United States law. The Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, PC, MP, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Letter to the Chair, 4 July 2000.
(37) B.C.’s October 1999 policy includes the implementation of approved escape prevention and recovery programs on all salmon farms, licence suspension or cancellation for any repeated failure to comply with escape prevention requirements, enhanced monitoring and the requirement that all escapes be reported, and the development of an escapes protocol with the State of Washington. In response to two major fish escapes, B.C.’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries announced, on 23 August 2000, that all salmon farming operations would be required to provide interim (mandatory) escape management plans within 60 days, and that federal research and development funds under the Program for Sustainable Aquaculture (announced by the Minister of the DFO on 8 August 2000) would be sought. Provincial ministry staff were also directed to: begin random audits of escape prevention procedures in all aquaculture operations; expand the scope of stream surveys looking for Atlantic salmon in cooperation with the industry and the DFO; and pursue, with their counterparts in Washington State, joint action to prevent the further losses of farmed fish.
(38) Expert Panel of the Committee on Expert Panels of the Royal Society of Canada, Elements of Precaution: Recommendations for the Regulation of Food Biotechnology in Canada, February 2001.
(39) For escaped farmed Pacific salmon in B.C., the risk associated with predation and competition was essentially the same as that mentioned for escaped Atlantic salmon. Another concern was the potential interbreeding of farmed Pacific salmon with wild Pacific stocks, leading to the reduced genetic diversity and reproductive fitness of wild stocks. It was also brought to our attention that the province has had a long history of large-scale, government-sponsored salmon enhancement that had already resulted in ecological and genetic interactions with wild salmon. Hatcheries are problematic because the selective survival of large numbers of young from small numbers of adults that donate eggs and milt changes the genetic pool of the wild population.
(40) Dr. Brad Hicks, Brief, 31 March 2000.
(41) Since the early 1970s, the State of Alaska has practised salmon enhancement (also known as "ocean ranching") resulting in significant numbers of hatchery-produced Pacific salmon.
(42) Most of the Atlantic salmon recovered in the marine and freshwater environments were said to be in close proximity to salmon farming rearing areas or facilities. In 2001, the B.C. Ministry of Fisheries secured funding from the B.C. Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs to provide training and employment opportunities for local First Nations in stream survey methodologies to encourage their involvement in the Atlantic Salmon program in their traditional territories.
(43) One method available for sterilizing fish is the induction of "triploidity"; triploid salmonids are sterile fish created when two normal female fish (or "diploids," each having two chromosomes) are given hormones to fertilize eggs (without a male). In Newfoundland, triploid fish were used for many years for rainbow (steelhead) trout, a non-native species in that province. However, there are a number of reasons why triploids may not be more widely used in future: techniques for effecting sterility are not 100% effective; costs are involved in screening individual fish; triploid fish experience greater mortality and have a higher incidence of deformity compared to normal fish; and feed conversion ratios are not as economical as those for normal fish.
(44) In October 1999, the Province of British Columbia announced that a fish health code of practice would be developed, including standards for disease prevention, outbreak management, drug use, and disease reporting. A comprehensive fish health database would also be developed, access to information would be improved through an annual fish health report to be published by government, and an interagency fish health committee would be established with federal government participation. The Province informed the Committee in May 2001 that: a draft fish health code of practice was completed in January 2001; Fish Health Management Plan Guidelines would apply to all private and public-sector culture facilities; and all salmon farmers and salmonid enhancement facilities would have to develop a Fish Health Management Plan. The code was said to be undergoing technical review, which is expected to be completed by July 2001. Once finalized, a decision on how to enforce the management plans will be determined.
(45) We were told that Scottish officials announced, in November 1999, that the ISA virus had been detected for the first time in several species of wild fish including salmon, trout, eels, and in freshwater fish.
(46) The number of drugs, pest control products, and anaesthetics approved for use for finfish aquaculture in Canada was said to be limited, numbering only eight for food fish such as salmon and trout. Of these eight, four antimicrobials were said to be licensed for use and, of the four, three are prescription-only medicines.
(47) In March 2000, members of the New Brunswick Salmon Growers’ Association endorsed a new Code of Practice that sets standards for husbandry practices and fish health management in that province. The code divided the province into Bay Management Areas. Salmon farmers agreed on protocols for disease management, the growing and harvesting of fish, the disinfection and cleaning of equipment, and the handling of waste. A new fish health surveillance program moved the responsibility of regular testing and reporting of fish health data from government to the individual farmer. Compliance with the new code was reportedly tied to the licensing of farm sites. The B.C. Salmon Farmers Association reportedly implemented its own code on 1 January 2000.
(48) To achieve single-year class farming, the Bay of Fundy is to be divided into distinct zones (referred to as Aquaculture Bay Management Areas, or ABMAs), the boundaries of which are based on a combination of oceanographic, fish health, and business considerations. The policy reportedly supports the concept of exclusion areas and restricted growth areas, and allows salmon growers already in the industry to either expand their sites or apply for new ones. The implementation of the policy calls for the collaboration of the Department of the Environment and local government.
(49) Initially a pilot project in 2000 when Committee members first learned of APHIN, the Network gathers (confidential) health records from salmon growers in a computer database, and allows them to compare the productivity and health of their fish with that of other farms in the province. The Atlantic Veterinary College offers a similar program for swine farms in P.E.I. and Ontario.
(50) Young scallops are captured in their natural habitat (a closed fishing area), left to grow in a protected area (the lagoon at Havre-aux-Maisons), and later re-seeded at five designated sites. To ensure a yearly harvest, the plan is to fish one zone each year, and to re-seed the zone the following year so that, after four years, harvesting can resume again.
(51) The DFO Biological Station, the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, the New Brunswick Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and the New Brunswick Salmon Grower’s Association. See Atlantic Salmon Federation, "Senate Committee Considers Aquaculture," News Release, 29 February 2000.
(52) Offshore technology was also mentioned as a possibility, but one requiring a sizeable investment in the engineering of cage designs.
(53) In October 2000, the B.C. ministers for the Environment and Fisheries announced the approval of four projects involving new aquaculture technologies and husbandry practices, including: alternative feed sources; waste recovery systems; the exclusive use of female fish stocks; and closed containment systems. The four sites involved two First Nations: the Homalco and the Kitasoo Xiaxias. The projects were among the first new salmon farm tenures to be approved in the province since the early 1990s. The granting of new tenures was originally announced by the provincial government in October 1999 as part of its Salmon Aquaculture Policy framework. The framework included incentives to test closed-containment and other green technologies through the award of five saltwater and five freshwater pilot projects.
(54) G3 Consulting Ltd., Salmon Waste Management Review and Update, December 2000. Fish farms in Iceland reportedly use large, land-based rearing tanks that use geothermal water for aquaculture.
(55) Research on transgenic shellfish and aquatic plants is less developed than that on transgenic salmon.
(56) Initial research on transgenic fish in Canada focused on the transfer of an antifreeze protein gene from winter flounder into Atlantic salmon eggs to produce salmon that are able to tolerate sub-zero sea temperatures. However, most aquaculture-related research on transgenic fish has focused on the promotion of growth. The commercial motivation is to reduce the amount of time it takes for fish to reach market size.
(57) Expert Panel of the Committee on Expert Panels of the Royal Society of Canada, Elements of Precaution: Recommendations for the Regulation of Food Biotechnology in Canada, February 2001. The Expert Panel was created in response to a request from Health Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and Environment Canada.
(58) Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries, The Marketing of Fish in Canada: Report on the East Coast Fisheries, December 1989.
(59) For example, Canada is a member of the Food and Agriculture Organization, where precautionary approaches to the management of fisheries and aquaculture are outlined. The Convention on Biological Diversity also incorporates the precautionary principle. The DFO has an obligation to conform to the precautionary approach under the UN Agreement on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, and the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) Agreement on Adoption of a Precautionary Approach.