Transcript – Mariculture Challenges in Quebec

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Three stakeholders from the Gaspé Peninsula speak about their industry

Sylvain Lafrance 
Director General
Société de développement de l’industrie maricole inc. (SODIM)   

My name is Sylvain Lafrance. I am the director of the Société de développement de l’industrie maricole. I have been involved in aquaculture development for ten years.

Map - Mariculture locations in Quebec

Mariculture has created a number of jobs and new businesses in eastern Quebec, and made it possible to develop expertise and foster innovation in the region—a significant achievement.

Map - Mariculture locations in the Gaspé Peninsula

I am very optimistic about aquaculture development in eastern Quebec. It is an industry of the future.

Clearly, there are some challenges to overcome. I will mention two of them: working hard on business productivity by lowering production costs, and improving marketing and commercialization in order to do better in Quebec and outside markets.

Developing technologies, improving mariculture practices and everything done to improve businesses’ productivity: for me, these are the highlights of Quebec’s aquaculture industry in the last ten years.

Françoise Tétreault
Director
Quality and product development program
Menu-Mer Ltée

My name is Françoise Tétreault. I work for MenuMer Limitée. I have been working in the aquaculture sector for about ten years.

The aquaculture industry has worked hard to overcome many challenges related to technology and production. Producers have shown a great deal of imagination and perseverance in adapting themselves or adapting what was done elsewhere to different areas in Quebec.

I think that there is always something to do in that regard, because there are always improvements to be made to reduce our production costs, whether in terms of transportation or actual production.

Regarding the processing of products and the range of products to be offered, there is a need to demonstrate innovation and imagination, in order to ensure that everything we produce is sold and that we have taken our place in the seafood market.

Stéphane Morissette, President
Les Moules Forillon Ltée
Les Moules Cascapédia Ltée

Hello, my name is Stéphane Morissette, I am the President of two mussel farming businesses, Les Moules Forillon and Les Moules Cascapédia, which operate in the Gaspé Peninsula.

There is no doubt that aquaculture in maritime Quebec is growing. This is a place where fishing is very important. But fisheries are declining almost everywhere in the world, and it is the same here on the Gaspé Peninsula. Aquaculture is another way of supplying the existing chain, from processing to marketing.

Innovations will mainly consist of mechanizing operations so as to become more productive at a lower cost.

In Quebec, weather conditions are not the most favourable in the world—we have drifting ice, cold temperatures, a longer production cycle. So we absolutely must focus on new technologies, or highly efficient technologies, so as to reduce production costs. We need innovation at all levels to reduce production costs.