Why Sustainability Matters

Canada has enormous potential to become a world leader in aquaculture. We have extensive coastlines, an international reputation for safe, high-quality fish and seafood products, a skilled workforce and strong management expertise.

As Canada's aquaculture industry continues to grow, bringing economic and social benefits to our country, we must ensure it remains sustainable.

The world depends on aquaculture as an essential source of nutrition and employment – in fact, half of all seafood is now farmed. If it weren't for aquaculture, the United Nations estimates the world would face a seafood shortage of 50 to 80 million tonnes by 2030.

What do we mean by sustainability?

In Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has the federal lead for aquaculture, playing a dual role as both regulator and developer. When we consider sustainability, we take into account three essential, equally important, and inter-connected elements of sustainability – environment, social and economic.

We liken it to a three-legged stool with each leg necessary to support the whole:

Environmental sustainability...

Ensuring ecosystems remain healthy and productive.

Social sustainability...

Supporting and protecting local, First Nations and aboriginal communities and cultures in which aquaculture operates, and providing meaningful jobs.

Economic sustainability...

Encouraging long-term growth of the aquaculture industry and providing stable jobs.

Aquaculture must be environmentally, socially and economically sustainable to be a viable industry. And each element builds upon another.

For example, if aquaculture businesses do well economically, farmers can invest more in innovation and technology to improve production practices. It is in their best interest to do so in order to ensure that their businesses have strong long-term potential.  And to take it one step further, if aquaculture enterprises protect the environment and the social well-being of the community in which they operate, then the local community is more likely to support them, which in turn leads to meaningful employment and social stability.

Aquaculture businesses have realized that sustainability makes solid business sense.

Learn more

Learn more about how we ensure that aquaculture is environmentally, economically and socially sustainable. When we make key decisions, we take all three elements into account and we back our decisions with fact-based scientific research.

• Regulating Aquaculture
• Protecting Ecosystems
• Protecting Fish Health
• Ensuring Seafood Safety
• Enriching Communities
• Measuring Sustainability