Question Period Note: Study on the State of Salmon Aquaculture Technology

• Our government takes the health of salmon and the impacts from salmon aquaculture seriously.
• That is why, in partnership with the Province of British Columbia and Sustainable Development Technology Canada, we commissioned a study in 2019 on the state of salmon aquaculture technology to examine the risks and opportunities of emerging technologies for salmon farming in BC.
• The study was conducted in close collaboration with an advisory committee representing First Nations, government, industry and philanthropic groups and was used to inform the development of recommendations of the Alternative Production Technical Working Group regarding the application of emerging technologies in BC.
• The results of the study have been made public.

Study on the State of Salmon Aquaculture Technology
• This study was commissioned and funded by DFO, Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), and the Province of British Columbia (BC), in consultation with an independent advisory committee. The advisory committee comprised DFO officials, SDTC, the Province of BC, the First Nations Fisheries Council, Tides Canada, and the BC Salmon Farmers Association.
• The study provides a good synthesis of the strengths, weaknesses and uncertainties of four key production systems: land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS); hybrid systems; floating closed containment systems; and, offshore systems.
• While the study remains neutral on technology options, it identified hybrid systems as being the most commercially ready; land-based RAS as outperforming the other systems in reducing interactions with wild salmon and the marine ecosystem; and, acknowledging there are still many unknowns with offshore and floating closed containment systems.
• The study also makes a number of specific recommendations around measures to support technology adoption and aquaculture development in BC including legislative and policy clarity, innovation support, biomass allocation, and financial incentives.
• The study was undertaken by Gardner-Pinfold Consulting Inc., who worked in close collaboration with the advisory committee.
• The late spring of 2019 was targeted for the completion of the study, with the final report to be released publicly by the summer of 2019.
• However, given the diverse range of views amongst committee members, additional time to incorporate the perspectives of the committee into the final draft report was required, which ultimately delayed the project.
• The study was used to inform work of the Salmonid Alternative Production Technologies Technical Working Group (TWG), as announced by the Minister on June 4, 2019. The TWG was created to investigate and support the development and adoption of technologies that enhance the sustainability of aquaculture to support the protection and conservation of wild fish in the Pacific Region.
• The TWG provided its recommendations to the Department in the summer of 2020.

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