Program for Aquaculture Regulatory Research (PARR)

As part of the federal government's Budget 2008 investment in Sustainable Aquaculture Development, a new Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) internal research program was created to support priority aquaculture regulatory research. The knowledge and information produced as a result of the funded research will support the Federal, Provincial and Territorial activities to develop a framework for aquaculture environmental management.

The Program for Aquaculture Regulatory Research (PARR) supports short-term (1-2 year) research projects undertaken by DFO scientists that are focused on increasing the relevant science knowledge base to support and advise informed DFO ecosystem-based environmental regulation and decision making with regards to the aquaculture sector. An increase in the relevant scientific knowledge base will also help to support provincial environmental regulation.

The PARR supports new research projects that will enable Science to respond to the knowledge priorities of DFO aquaculture regulatory groups, specifically, the Aquaculture Management Directorate and Habitat Management Directorate, who have direct responsibilities related to regulation of the aquaculture sector.

A key to the success of this program is communicating the research results with federal and provincial experts responsible for the environmental regulation of aquaculture, as well as ensuring that research is aligned with aquaculture regulatory research needs and information gaps.

• Types of Research Funded by PARR

Summaries of past and current research projects funded under PARR can be found at the following links:

• 2012/13 PARR Research Projects
• 2011/12 PARR Research Projects
• 2010/11 PARR Research Projects
• 2009/10 PARR Research Projects
• 2008/09 PARR Research Projects

A targeted collaborative research program on Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) is complementary to PARR, with DFO's portion of the research focussing on ecosystem-based regulatory science questions related to the polyculture production approach.

Other DFO-funded aquaculture research, development and commercialization programs include:

• The Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP)
• The Aquaculture Innovation and Market Access Program (AIMAP)

The 2011 Canadian Aquaculture R&D Review highlights Canadian research pertaining to aquaculture from 2009-2011.