June 24, 2022

Aquaculture facilities in British Columbia, Canada, get two-year license renewal

Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has announced a two-year renewal of licenses for marine finfish aquaculture facilities outside the Discovery Islands in British Columbia, Canada.

The decision by the government impacts salmon farms run by Mowi, Grieg and Cermaq, and according to a release by the DFO, is part of a planned transition from open-net pen salmon aquaculture in BC. The decision is part of an ongoing government push to phase out all net-pen fish farming in the area – Canada's Liberal Party and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have called for a shift away from net-pen farming by 2025. 

With the new ruling, salmon farms in the BC will be able to continue operating for two years as the DFO starts the process of transitioning away from open-net pen aquaculture. The DFO plans to share a draft framework for transitioning, and said the plan will rely on input from the "government of British Columbia, First Nations, industry, local governments, stakeholders and British Columbians" in consultations that will run until "early 2023."

Canadian Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Joyce Murray said the decision to move away from open-net pen aquaculture is directly based on protecting wild stocks of salmon in the region.

"Wild Pacific salmon are an iconic keystone species in British Columbia that are facing historic threats. Our government is taking action to protect and return wild salmon to abundance and ensure Canada is a global leader in sustainable aquaculture," Murray said. "Working together with First Nations, the province, industry and British Columbians, we will transition the aquaculture industry to one which leads with new technology, while reducing or eliminating interactions with wild Pacific salmon. We recognise the urgent need for ecologically sustainable aquaculture technology, and we are prepared to work with all partners in a way that is transparent and provides stability in this transition."

The decision to renew the licenses was welcomed by the BC Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA) and the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA), who also called for greater certainty.

"The renewal of licenses in British Columbia is a positive first step and confirms the voices of industry and First Nations, in whose territories we operate, have been heard," BC Salmon Farmers Association interim executive director Ruth Salmon said in a release. "This announcement will give us the opportunity to work with all levels of government, including First Nations, to secure a future that will benefit Indigenous and non-Indigenous coastal communities, meet the global demand for healthy, affordable seafood and support the continuation in protection and restoration of wild Pacific salmon."

The renewal of licenses for two years has highlighted a need for longer license periods, CAIA president and chief executive officer Timothy Kennedy said.

"While we are encouraged that licenses have been renewed, we genuinely needed a six-year license term that reflect[s] our production cycle," he said. "Longer license terms would have provided the confidence to further invest in innovation and technology, leading to continued operational and sustainable improvements, job creation for coastal communities and greater food security."

- SeafoodSource