Aquaculture Innovation Projects

January 2009

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Three innovation projects designed to enhance the production capacity and environmental performance of the aquaculture industry in British Columbia have received a total of $524,000 in funding from the Government of Canada through its Aquaculture Innovation and Market Access Program (AIMAP).

The Sea-System Infrastructure Innovation Project, being led by Kyuquot SEAfoods Ltd., will encompass the design, engineering and testing of new system components that will allow the infrastructure of existing net-pen fin-fish aquaculture operations in B.C. to be modified so that the organic and inorganic wastes they produce can be used as an economical and environmentally friendly food source to grow a range of other species including oysters, scallops and sea cucumbers on a commercial scale. Incorporating the company’s sustainable ecological aquaculture (SEA) systems into existing fin-fish net pens, as envisioned by the project participants, would significantly reduce the deposit of organic waste on the ocean floor below salmon farms. It would also create additional employment in coastal communities and a new and nutritious product for salmon farmers.

The new technology would require fin-fish growers to select and produce a balanced and complementary combination of other species that have the capacity to extract and use the organic and inorganic waste produced through their fin-fish aquaculture operations from the surrounding water.

As part of the innovation project, Kyuquot SEAfoods Ltd. and its project partners – Pacific SEA-Lab Research Society, the University of Victoria, Aquaport, Coastland Fabricating and Design Ltd., and EA Energy Alternatives Ltd. – will also explore the use of sea power to provide a green energy source for its growing systems and the new components developed through the initiative, further enhancing their environmental performance. The project goal is to develop a SEAsystem and related components that can be incorporated into existing net-pen fin-fish aquaculture sites and operated on a commercial scale, while accommodating different handling schedules for the different species being produced, and without hindering existing fin-fish production. This project received $250,000 in federal funding.

The B.C. Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences will coordinate and assist in the development of additional salmon-farming-related innovation projects in B.C. by providing support and advice to industry on a range of topics, including production efficiencies and cost reductions; the value of new species to the aquaculture industry; and enhanced environmental performance. As part of this work, it will identify and connect industry with key subject matter experts, networks, resources and stakeholders to support the development of collaborative partnerships and innovation projects; provide a framework for international and national scientific exchanges to occur on aquaculture; review and inform industry of global innovation practices; and help to move innovation projects from the pilot stage to the point of being ready to implement on a commercial scale. The project, which will receive federal funding of $250,000,
has the potential to significantly enhance the economic performance of B.C. fish farms.  This work will include moving ahead with a pilot project to develop an effective test and standard procedures to assess the readiness of smolts to enter and adapt to salt water, which could help industry to achieve increased growth and survival rates. The test will be provided to industry to pilot further, and assess its economic value. In addition, the Centre will pilot a quantitative test to detect infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV). This virus, which is endemic to the coastal waters of B.C., poses a significant economic threat to the aquaculture industry in B.C. The rapid identification of viral outbreaks would allow the industry to implement containment measures to reduce its spread and minimize potential losses.

The final aquaculture innovation project is being led by the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association, which will see the association import New Zealand’s expertise in cryopreservation techniques, and transfer it to the fish farming industry in B.C. The project will encompass staff and technician training, as well as pilot and commercial application of the technology in the province. All of the main B.C. salmon growers will be involved in the initiative, including three Atlantic salmon producers and one chinook producer. It is anticipated that the project will reduce operating costs and enhance the performance of brood stock, which will improve the economic performance of the aquaculture industry in B.C. The key expected outcomes of the project, which will receive $24,000 in federal funding, also include a higher survival of fertilized eggs, a stronger selection of male salmon and a better use of these fish in breeding programs.

 

B-PR-09-002E