Government's Role - Challenge

Canada has enormous potential to be a world aquaculture leader. Our strengths include extensive coastlines and productive marine and freshwater resources, a reputation for quality products, proximity to established and growing markets, an effective and efficient transportation infrastructure, an internationally reputable food inspection system, a skilled workforce, and strong management expertise.

There are many reasons to pursue Canada's potential. Aquaculture is a new-economy industry, grounded in science and technological innovation. It is a high value sector -- in 2001, Canada's aquaculture production was worth $597 million, representing only 14.8% of the total tonnage output of Canadian fish and seafood, but more than 29% of the total landed value.

The Canadian aquaculture industry is export oriented. It is the demand for salmon in the United States that has driven exports consistently higher each year for the last decade, tripling since 1992 to $444.3 million in 2001 and representing a 17% increase in the last year alone.

Canada's aquaculture industry is also important from a socio-economic perspective. It employs some 14,000 Canadians year round, both directly and in related industries. Ninety per cent of aquaculture production and processing takes place in rural and coastal communities, providing economic stability and growth where economic development options are often limited, particularly in cases where yields from wild fisheries have declined. To illustrate, in Charlotte County, New Brunswick 25% of the entire workforce is employed by the salmon farming industry. Aquaculture is also yielding significant socio-economic benefits in many Aboriginal communities across Canada. The industry also provides jobs for young people - 50% of jobs in the sector are held by people less than 30 years old.

Clearly, sustainable aquaculture development has the potential to offer numerous opportunities for Canadians - DFO's challenge is to help create the conditions necessary to take advantage of this socio-economic potential while ensuring that the industry remains environmentally sustainable.