Canadian industry calls for a ‘new era’ in aquaculture

Aquaculture is agriculture – and it represents a major food and economic opportunity for Canada. That’s the message in an open letter from the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) to Federal and Provincial Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries.

CAIA CEO and President Tim Kennedy warns in the letter “Canada is fast falling behind” and argues: “It is time to move on to a new era of aquaculture production.”

He challenges politicians and regulators to develop a vision for a growing and vital aquaculture sector for Canada.

In the letter, the CAIA sets out six steps for leaders to support Canada’s potential for farm-raised seafood, as set out below.

1) Farmers need Restored Confidence in Science Evaluation and Advice Processes

Government decisions must be made based on objective peer-reviewed science evaluation processes that provide advice to policymakers. In the situation of BC salmon farming, this has been completely broken, with political decisions being made in conflict with long-established CSAS (Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat) processes. It is a fundamental responsibility of federal and provincial governments to restore confidence in their science evaluation and advice processes. Confidence in science evaluation processes is critical to food safety, market-access, environmental stewardship, and supporting innovation.

2) Aquaculture is Agriculture: Support Separation of Federal Science/Regulatory Functions from Sector Development and Provide Proper Farming Program Supports to Sector

As part of the farming and food producing community, aquaculture needs to be right-placed and supported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

It is finally time to realize that the federal DFO management function for aquaculture is broken and to chart a new path. DFO has shown it cannot both regulate and develop the sector. The current structure is contributing directly to the sector’s stagnation. It should – like the CFIA, become a regulator and focus its activities. This recommendation was made in the 2004 report from the federal Aquaculture Commissioner but never implemented.

3) Develop Federal-Provincial Aquaculture Development Strategy

This sector can create thousands of jobs across Canada in rural and remote coastal areas. The proper investment signals and supports are needed, especially with the last five years of uncertainty due to the negativity and confusion of the BC salmon farming situation.

We urge you to unite together and develop a high-level national strategy and public statement supporting aquaculture development. This could focus on the following:

• Propose a national production target for sector growth
• Identify a small number of overall actions to achieve real progress and build back confidence in Canada
• Support provincial growth strategies and identify major blockages to growth
• Identify actions that will attract investment in innovation and new technologies

4) Support Long-Term Partnership Program for Seafood Education and Communication

We appreciate the partnership of the federal and provincial governments under the Canadian Fish and Seafood Opportunities Fund (CFSOF), a program whose funding sunset on March 31, 2024.

The joint CAIA-Fisheries Council “Choose Canadian Seafood” program was a great two-year success.

However, a major problem in our sector is the absence of longer-term, stable education and marketing partnership funding programs. This is needed to educate Canadians and bring together the entire seafood sector as an important part of the Canadian agri-food sector. We ask you to make this a priority in your discussions.

Tim Kennedy

5 ) Focus on Stakeholders who Bring Practical and Workable Constructive Solutions to the Table

During this time of social polarisation, extreme voices are getting more attention. But rewarding extreme voices and positions is a very dangerous game. The BC salmon farming situation is a case in point: activist groups seeking a 100% reduction in risk where the science clearly does not require such an approach have now secured their extreme policy with a “ban on open net pens by 2029”.

And this was after 40% of farms had been already shut down in two areas of BC between 2020-2023. BC salmon farmers and First Nations hosts spent thousands of hours developing carefully considered Transition proposals to support the federal government’s overall objectives, only to have these rejected in favour of extremism.

Siding with such an extreme approach does not respect science, nurture precious job creation in coastal communities, achieve First Nations reconciliation – where production is covered under an unprecedented 100% agreement with Nations in whose territories the farms operate – and secure healthy and low-carbon domestic food production. Reject extreme positions and choose practical and balanced pathways based in science.

6) Be Bold and Speak Positively About Aquaculture Potential

As investor confidence in Canadian aquaculture has been damaged by recent actions in BC, a simple solution is for you as leaders to speak up regularly about the great potential for aquaculture production in your province and in Canada. We ask you to be ambassadors for the people of the sector: not as it was thirty years ago, but as it is today and will be in the future. Speaking to the positive potential regularly is a simple gesture but necessary. We thank those of you who already do this.

The letter concludes with the point that around 20,000 Canadians owe their livelihoods to the success of the sector.

Mowi’s processing plant in Surrey, British Columbia, was closed in 2022