B9 - Aquaculture

Aquaculture in Canada

• 45 different species of finfish, shellfish, and marine algae cultivated commercially; finfish accounts for most production (mainly salmon).
• Nationally, farmed finfish production rose to 122,280 tonnes in 2024, a 12 per cent increase from 2023.
  • However, production continues to trend downwards over the longer term.
• Total export value in 2024 for aquaculture was $1.1 billion (B), with a total production value of $1.36B. 94 per cent of exports are destined for the United States. The largest export commodity is farmed Atlantic salmon, at $945 million.
• Industry provides 3,875 year-round direct jobs, many in remote coastal and Indigenous communities

Text version

Production Per Cent by Province, 2024 (Tonnes)

• British Columbia 40%
• New Brunswick 17%
• Newfoundland and Labrador 16%
• Prince Edward Island 13%
• Nova Scotia 7%
• Prairies: 2%
• Ontario 4%
• Quebec 1%

Canada’s Aquaculture Production (2024)

• Volume: 160,518 tonnes
• Value: CDN $1.36 billion

British Columbia

• Production: 64,154 tonnes
• Value: $563 million
• Top Species: Salmon, Trout, Clams, Oysters, Mussels

Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba

• Production: Not available
• Value: Not available
• Top Species: Rainbow Trout, Steelhead Trout, Tilapia

Ontario

• Production: 5,647 tonnes
• Value: $36 million
• Top Species: Rainbow Trout, Arctic Char, Sturgeon, Shrimp, Tilapia

Quebec

• Production: 1,367 tonnes
• Value: $11 million
• Top Species: Trout, Oysters, Mussels, Scallops

Newfoundland and Labrador

• Production: 26,183 tonnes
• Value: $263 million
• Top Species: Salmon, Mussels

Prince Edward Island

• Production: 20,969 tonnes
• Value: $54 million
• Top Species: Clams, Oysters, Mussels

Nova Scotia

• Production: 11,327 tonnes
• Value: $114 million
• Top Species: Salmon, Trout, Clams, Oysters, Mussels

New Brunswick

• Production: 27, 951 tonnes
• Value: $311 million
• Top Species: Salmon, Oysters

Source: Statistics Canada

How Fish Farming is Managed in Canada

• Fish farming is managed by federal, provincial and territorial governments
• How it’s managed varies across provinces and territories

Aquaculture Management in Canada

• Aquaculture management in Canada is a shared responsibility.
• Constitutional authorities and legal rulings have resulted in three different aquaculture management regimes in place across the country:
  1. As the principal regulator in British Columbia since 2010, DFO issues aquaculture licences and oversees operational requirements, while the Province issues leases for seabed use (in provincial areas).
  2. As a result of a 1928 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Prince Edward Island, DFO issues aquaculture leases and licences in collaboration with and on behalf of the Province.
  3. Elsewhere, provincial departments are the lead, issuing both leases and licences.
• Conditions of lease and licence set out operational and reporting requirements to help ensure that aquaculture sites are managed in an environmentally sustainable manner.
• Federal-Provincial-Territorial coordination via bilateral MOUs and collectively through the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (CCFAM) and its Strategic Management Committee on Aquaculture (SMC).

Federal Regulatory Responsibilities - National

• At the federal level, DFO is the overall lead in managing certain impacts from aquaculture on wild fish and the marine environment.
  • ‘The Aquaculture Activities Regulations under the Fisheries Act manage impacts by, among other things, regulating the deposit of drugs and pesticides (i.e., to manage pathogens and parasites) and the release of organic matter (i.e., fish feces and uneaten feed) into fish-bearing waters.
• In coastal provinces and Yukon, DFO authorizes intentional movements of live fish into fish-bearing waters and fish-rearing facilities.
  • Federal-provincial/territorial Introductions and Transfers Committees, established in each province and Yukon, follow the National Code for Introductions and Transfers of Aquatic Organisms to assess risks associated with proposed movements.*
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Health Canada, and Transport Canada play roles in mitigation of the introduction and spread of aquatic diseases; regulation of pesticide and drug approvals; and navigation, respectively.

*Inland provinces authorize movements within their provinces, pursuant to the Code. In Quebec, DFO authorizes marine transfers, and the province authorizes freshwater transfers.

Salmon Aquaculture Transition Plan for B.C.

• On June 19, 2024, the then-Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced the Government of Canada’s policy to implement a ban on open net-pen salmon aquaculture in British Columbia (B.C.) coastal waters by June 30, 2029.
• A draft B.C. Salmon Aquaculture Transition Plan was released in September 2024 and served as the basis for engagement and consultation.
• Led by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), the interdepartmental task force held over 120 engagements with First Nations and stakeholders, which provided a deeper understanding of the diverse views on the issue.
• The engagement was rich, and First Nations and stakeholders presented their perspectives about transition challenges and issues. The task force is reviewing all the different perspectives on how to move sustainable aquaculture forward in B.C.