The Role of Science

Scientific Research is Essential

Having timely and fact-based science is as essential to regulatory decision making as it is to sustainable development. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has two science programs that, together, provide the basis for the department’s mandates for regulation and development of the industry.

Program for Aquaculture Regulatory
Research (PARR)

PARR supports research projects to increase the relevant science knowledge base to support informed DFO ecosystem-based environmental regulation and decision making.  This research enables Science to respond to the knowledge priorities of DFO’s Aquaculture Management and Habitat Management Directorates, both of which have regulatory responsibilities for the aquaculture sector.

The majority of the PARR funds are dedicated to new research studies and other knowledge gathering activities (e.g., the evaluation and analysis of site monitoring data and results; studies/assessments to support and inform adaptive management).  Research priorities are based on aquaculture regulatory management requirements.

Aquaculture Collaborative Research & Development Program (ACRDP)

ACRDP is a collaborative research and development activity between the aquaculture industry and the Department, and in some instances with other funding partners. This program teams industry with DFO researchers with projects conducted at DFO research facilities or at industry partner facilities. The key goals of the program are to improve the competitiveness of the Canadian aquaculture industry, increase collaboration between the Department and industry to enhance aquaculture in Canada, facilitate and accelerate the process of technology transfer and research commercialization, and to increase scientific capacity for essential aquaculture research and development in the aquaculture sector.  The broad research objectives of the program are two-fold:

• Optimal fish health
• Industry environmental performance

Together these research programs provide a secure and transparent foundation for the sustainable development of aquaculture in Canada.  The Program for Aquaculture Regulatory Research is supporting responsible management decisions while the collaborative government-industry research conducted under the ACRDP is increasing the performance and competitiveness of the industry.

Learn more:

• Program for Aquaculture Regulatory Research (PARR)
• Aquaculture Collaborative Research & Development Program (ACRDP)