Sustainable Aquaculture Research in BC

Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is pleased to support the work of the Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture as it seeks to understand the questions of science at the heart of its deliberations.

As the lead federal agency for aquaculture, DFO is committed to well-informed and scientifically-based decisions pertaining to the aquaculture industry. The deliberations and recommendations of the Special Committee will have a significant bearing on the future of the aquaculture industry in British Columbia.

Aquaculture is growing rapidly worldwide and now accounts for about half of the global consumption of fish according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring the responsible and sustainable development of the aquaculture industry in Canada.

The objective of the Program for Sustainable Aquaculture (PSA), is to support the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector. Ensuring the sector operates in an environmentally responsible manner is a key federal role.

DFO’s aquaculture-related research programs are broad in scope. This presentation focuses on research related to the environmental interactions between finfish mariculture and aquatic ecosystems, in consideration of the Special Committee’s primary interests. There is discussion of the scientific approach, and the process and importance of evaluation of the results of research.

Over the past 30 years, DFO has been involved in a wide range of aquaculture-related research programs. This research provides a sound science and technology base for the department’s management of aquatic resources and for innovations within the industry.    

DFO aquaculture research is conducted at facilities across the country, including three laboratories in British Columbia – the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo, the Centre for Aquaculture and Environmental Research in West Vancouver, and the Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney.

DFO scientists have pioneered many areas of finfish and shellfish aquaculture research and development, and have been recognized for significant findings in the areas of fish husbandry, fish health, biotechnology, genetics and marine ecosystems interactions. Much of this work is done collaboratively with academia, other levels of government, industry, and scientists from other countries.

A major focus of DFO research has been to determine factors that pose a risk to the health of aquatic ecosystems. In order to conserve and protect wild salmon, DFO looks at questions that impact the ecosystem as a whole, including: living resources, the aquatic environment, interaction between species, the impact of human activities and many other factors.

DFO will provide an overview of the national State-of-Knowledge review that examines the potential environmental effects of aquaculture, and of research related to the environmental interactions of finfish mariculture in B.C. The work in B.C. will be presented by lead scientists in order to provide the Special Committee with access to the best available scientific information.

Topics include fish health, nearfield interactions and DEPOMOD, farfield and ecosystem interactions, and five components of research on sea lice and interactions with wild salmon.

In addition, the department will describe how research informs resource management decisions.