Tab B8 - Aquaculture in Canada

On this page

• Aquaculture in Canada
• Canada’s aquaculture production (2023)
• Aquaculture management in Canada
• Federal Regulatory Responsibilities (National)
• Salmon Aquaculture Transition Plan for British Columbia

Aquaculture in Canada

• 45 different species of finfish, shellfish, and marine algae cultivated commercially; finfish accounts for most production (mainly salmon).
• Finfish production fell to 107,144 tonnes in 2023, a 15.3% decline from 2022. This is in addition to the previous year’s decline of 14.9% from 2021 to 2022.
• Total export value in 2023 for aquaculture was $970M, with a total production value of $1.26B. Exports represent 77% of production value.
• Industry provides 3,675 well-paying, year-round direct jobs, many in remote coastal and Indigenous communities.

Production percentage by province, 2023 (tonnes)

Canada’s aquaculture production (2023)

• Volume: 145,985 tonnes
• Value: CDN $1.26 billion

British Columbia

• Production: 60,962 tonnes
• Value: $557.9 million
• Top Species: Salmon, Trout, Clams, Oysters, Mussels

Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba

• Production: 2,324 tonnes
• Value: $13.9 million
• Top Species: Rainbow Trout, Steelhead Trout, Tilapia

Ontario

• Production: 3,194 tonnes
• Value: $34.4 million
• Top Species: Rainbow Trout, Arctic Char, Sturgeon, Shrimp, Tilapia

Quebec

• Production: 1,377 tonnes
• Value: $12.1 million
• Top Species: Trout, Oysters, Mussels, Scallops

Newfoundland and Labrador

• Production: 19,942 tonnes
• Value: $185.3 million
• Top Species: Salmon, Mussels

Prince Edward Island

• Production: 20,684 tonnes
• Value: $51.2 million
• Top Species: Clams, Oysters, Mussels

Nova Scotia

• Production: 12,084 tonnes
• Value: $120.5 million
• Top Species: Salmon, Trout, Clams, Oysters, Mussels

New Brunswick

• Production: 25,420 tonnes
• Value: $284.3 million
• Top Species: Salmon, Oysters

Source: Statistics Canada

Aquaculture management in Canada

Table 1: 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 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.
  2. As a result of a 1928 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)

DFO is the overall federal lead ensuring that interactions between aquaculture, and wild fish and the marine environment are managed sustainably across Canada.

• The Aquaculture Activities Regulations under the Fisheries Act manage impacts, including 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.^{Footnote *}

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.

Salmon Aquaculture Transition Plan for British Columbia

• DFO is moving away from the licensing of open net-pen salmon aquaculture in BC coastal waters. Licences that were set to expire on June 30, 2024, were renewed for five years until the ban comes into force.
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) released a draft Salmon Aquaculture Transition Plan on September 20, 2024, launching an engagement and consultation period intended to discuss a responsible approach and needed supports to transition from open net-pen salmon aquaculture to more sustainable and innovative approaches.
• ISED created an Interdepartmental Task Force, which is leading engagement and the development of advice to inform a final version of the transition plan, expected to be released in 2025.
• The intent is to foster collaboration and partnership to jointly explore and identify sustainable, long-term economic opportunities for BC's coastal communities.