Aquaculture licensing in British Columbia

General information

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is responsible for issuing B.C. aquaculture licences for marine finfish, shellfish and freshwater (or land-based) operations. The province of B.C. is responsible for licensing the commercial harvest of marine plants.

In addition, DFO issues aquaculture licences for all salmon hatcheries in B.C. Salmon enhancement facilities include those that are federally operated as well as non-commercial production facilities operated by First Nations and community groups.

B.C. aquaculture facilities must operate in compliance with key environmental and health legislation such as the Health of Animals Act, Food and Drugs Act, and Species at Risk Act.

B.C. aquaculture licences define the responsibilities of operators and assure processors and consumers that they are buying seafood from a licensed facility.

Licences are issued for the operation of a specific aquaculture site and licence holders must apply for a renewal at the frequency specified in the conditions of licence. Companies and organizations with multiple sites must obtain a separate licence for each site.

Additional licences are required for specific activities that may be required to conduct aquaculture operations, such as imports and transfers of fish. The process to acquire an aquaculture licence and tenure (if required) can take one year or more.

Multi-year licensing

Under the authority of the Fisheries Act, aquaculture licences can be issued for periods of up to 9 years, at the discretion of the statutory/authorized decision-maker.

Conditions of Licence

Licence conditions set out the specific operational and reporting requirements to which licence holders must adhere in order to operate legally and be in compliance with the Fisheries Act and regulations. They contain provisions to ensure that aquaculture sites are operated in an environmentally sustainable manner that minimizes the risk to wild fish stocks and the marine resource.

Together with the regulations, licence conditions are used to regulate and govern the aquaculture industry in B.C. Failure to comply can result in investigation and enforcement actions under the Fisheries Act.

Specific conditions of licence have been developed for marine finfish sites, shellfish sites, freshwater commercial hatcheries, and other freshwater/land-based facilities to ensure each type of operation is appropriately regulated. Site-specific conditions of licence may also apply based on the geographic location, the species being cultivated and the facility type.

An operation may cultivate a number of different species at one site at various times and may be licensed for species not currently being grown.

The conditions of licence for non-commercial production facilities (e.g., salmon enhancements, universities, classroom incubators) differ from commercial aquaculture hatchery licences but they have the same categories of licence conditions with respect to fish health management and reporting. The conditions of licence have been tailored to address the particular management needs and nature of enhancement facilities.

Applying for an aquaculture licence

While licences for aquaculture operations in B.C. are issued by DFO, the provincial government and other federal departments also play a role in the licensing process. DFO, Transport Canada and the province of B.C. share a single harmonized aquaculture application. The required forms for new sites, or amendments to existing sites for freshwater, shellfish or marine finfish aquaculture operations, are available through FrontCounterBC or by calling 1-877-855-3222.

Siting guidelines

DFO's Siting Guidelines for Marine Finfish Aquaculture in British Columbia set out the issues related to siting that are considered during the review of applications for new facilities. The Department's goal is to locate aquaculture facilities in areas that are environmentally suitable to the support of farmed and wild fish health, while promoting an economically prosperous and socially sustainable industry. These guidelines also provide First Nations, industry, stakeholders and the public with more information and increased transparency regarding DFO's review process of such applications.

Tenures

The province of B.C. has authority over land and foreshore use. Aquaculture operations that required a provincial lease or tenure before 2010, when the province was responsible for regulating aquaculture in B.C., continue to need one to comply with provincial law. More information is available via FrontCounterBC.

User fees

Aquaculture licence fees comprise two components:

1. A flat fee applied to partially recover administrative processing and licence issuance costs under the British Columbia Aquaculture Regulatory Program. The flat fee is charged when a licence is issued for a new facility, when licences are renewed and for changes of ownership.
2. An access-to-resource fee for finfish and shellfish licences for exclusive use of, and access to, the respective water column and surface area. Access to resource fees must be paid annually.

Policy on Remission: Learn about the service standards, exceptions, remission calculations and payment timing.

Since most freshwater operations do not access a federally-regulated resource (the freshwater column is considered a provincial resource), these operations are only charged the flat fee portion. University and fish enhancement facilities are exempt from both fees.

Frequently asked questions - aquaculture licensing in B.C.

Reference notes:

• Landfile number: The provincial government issues tenures under the Land Act for Aquaculture Operations in B.C.. A landfile number is assigned to each tenure issued. Facilities operating on private property are not required to apply for tenure.
• Site common name: Each aquaculture facility is assigned a site common name. These are usually based on a description of the area where the facility operates.

Contact us

Key aquaculture contacts in BC

Applications and decisions

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) posts summary documents associated with licence applications under review for new or amended aquaculture facilities. These documents provide information on the applicant, the location, size and type of facility, and the species to be cultivated. Once a decision is made on the application, the outcome is posted and will remain online for an additional 30 days.

DFO considers environmental sustainability, potential impacts to wild fisheries, fish health, site suitability and many other factors as part of the review process.
Read more about DFO's application review process

Transport Canada (TC) and the provincial Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) each conduct their own application assessments; TC ensures that aquaculture sites do not impede safe navigation and anchorage under the Navigation Protection Act and FLNRORD considers land use and general suitability of the site location for aquaculture purposes. Please visit FLNRORD's Applications and Reasons for Decisions website for more information.

Applications under review

Marine finfish

For more information or to comment on a specific application, please contact us.

Shellfish

For more information or to comment on a specific application, please contact us.

Freshwater/land-based

For more information or to comment on a specific application, please contact us.

Enhancement and stocking licensing in B.C.

Under the Pacific Aquaculture Regulations, all salmon hatcheries in B.C. require an aquaculture licence to operate. The aquaculture licence and conditions of licence are designed to ensure the sustainable operation of enhancement facilities. Fish stocking licences are issued to the Freshwater Fisheries Society of British Columbia, which cultivates fish expressly for the purposes of releasing them into natural freshwater bodies to support public recreational fishing opportunities.

• Licence and conditions of licence (DFO facilities)
• Licence and conditions of licence (community facilities)
• Licence and conditions of licence (fish stocking)

The following lists will be updated regularly to reflect changes in licence status:

• Current valid Salmonid Enhancement Program (SEP) British Columbia aquaculture licence holders
• Current valid fish stocking British Columbia aquaculture licence holders

Contact us

• Key aquaculture contacts in BC
• Federal hatcheries
• Community advisors for Community Economic Development Projects
• Community Economic Development Projects

Freshwater/land-based aquaculture licensing in B.C.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is responsible for licensing all aquaculture facilities in B.C. The aquaculture licence and conditions of licence are designed to ensure the sustainable operation and development of freshwater aquaculture.

• Freshwater B.C. aquaculture licence and conditions of licence
  

The following list will be updated regularly to reflect changes in licence status:

• Current valid freshwater B.C. aquaculture licence holders

Reference notes:

• Region: In the case of freshwater facilities, the site common name may contain the address of the facility. For this list, in order to protect personal or proprietary information, only the region is identified.
• Facility type: Hatcheries raise juvenile fish from eggs. Once the fish reach a certain size they are moved to a grow-out facility, where they are allowed to grow until they reach the desired size for harvesting
• Land or water-based: Freshwater aquaculture operations may be conducted either on land or in a body of water, depending on the species being cultivated. For example, rainbow trout prefer cold water conditions and can be raised in dugouts, ponds or net-cages suspended in lakes. Fish that prefer a warm water environment, such as tilapia, thrive in land-based re-circulating tank systems which allow operators to carefully control temperature and water quality.

Related links

• Infographic: Federal/provincial authorizations for land-based aquaculture facilities in B.C.

Contact us

Key aquaculture contacts in BC

Finfish aquaculture licensing in B.C.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is responsible for licensing all aquaculture facilities in B.C. The aquaculture licence and conditions of licence are designed to ensure the sustainable operation and development of marine finfish aquaculture.

• Marine finfish B.C. aquaculture licence and conditions of licence
  

Marine finfish reporting templates:

• Appendix 1 inventory plan
• Appendix 2 detail of monthly stock transfers
• Appendix 7 mortality events
• Appendix 8 fish health and sea lice mitigation notification
• Appendix 9 mortality by category
• Appendix 10 jaundice and increased mortality
• Appendix 12 sea lice event
• Appendix 14 sea lice report
• Appendix 16 escape notification form
• Appendix 17 wild mortalities and incidental catch
• Appendix 20 megafauna incident report form
• Appendix 23 use of light

The following list will be updated regularly to reflect changes in licence status:

• Current valid marine finfish B.C. aquaculture licence holders

Contact us

Key aquaculture contacts in BC

Shellfish aquaculture licensing in B.C.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is responsible for licensing all aquaculture facilities in B.C. The aquaculture licence and conditions of licence are designed to ensure the sustainable operation and development of shellfish aquaculture.

• Shellfish aquaculture licence and conditions of licence

The following list is updated regularly to reflect changes in licence status. It provides assurance to shellfish processors that they are purchasing seafood from a licensed operation.

• Current valid shellfish B.C. aquaculture licence holders (for processors)

Reference notes:

• The Pacific Fishery Management Area Regulations describe the surf line and divide the Canadian fisheries waters of the Pacific Ocean into areas and sub-areas that are often referenced when describing fishery openings and closures. Clicking on the area of interest will reveal a more detailed map illustrating the sub-areas.
• Any shellfish aquaculture licence listed is authorized to harvest varnish clams (nuttallia obscurata) within the licensed area unless that area is closed by prohibition order.
• The Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program (CSSP) is delivered jointly by DFO, Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and contains measures to ensure that bivalve shellfish (i.e., oysters, clams, scallops and mussels) are safe for human consumption. Under this program, conditional management plans are developed to allow shellfish harvesting in areas that may be periodically at risk for poor water quality. These plans clearly set out the circumstances which would trigger a temporary closure of the area to shellfish harvesting.
  
  In B.C. there are currently five conditional management plans in effect. The first four cover harvest areas near wastewater treatment plants in Ladysmith, Chemainus, Crofton and French Creek. In these areas, the conditional management plans are in effect to manage the potential risk of the release or discharge of wastewater materials beyond the normal operations of the treatment plant.
  
  The fifth conditional management plan applies to shellfish harvesting in Baynes Sound, the most active shellfish aquaculture region in B.C. In Baynes Sound, water quality may be adversely affected when substantial amounts of rainfall occur over a relatively short period of time. This may lead to runoff from the upland areas and increase contamination levels in the marine environment. Baynes Sound is divided into three different areas, with each having an established rainfall trigger amount for temporary shellfish harvesting closures.

Contact us

Key aquaculture contacts in BC

Frequently asked questions - aquaculture licensing in B.C.