August 19, 2019

Canada's Novia Scotia province amends aquaculture regulations

The Canadian province of Novia Scotia recently updated aquaculture management regulations which will make the tracking of fish escapes easier while also strengthening the prevention of such incidents, the province's fisheries and aquaculture minister said.

"Now if a fish escapes, once this is all in place, we can track the fish right back to the pen [from which] it escapes," Keith Colwell said in an interview. According to the minister, measures to trace fish will include DNA testing and tagging.

With the updated regulations, there will also be a greater emphasis on the strength of fish pens that can better endure adverse weathers.

Colwell said his department is also requiring operators to have their farm management plans kept in the province and altering the ocean bottom assessment requirements for shellfish-based aquaculture projects.

- CBC