September 17, 2007

Canada salmon farm tests twin-mode format

British Columbia's first closed-containment salmon farm is going ahead at Middle Point near Campbell River, using a bag system for small fish and moving to solid-wall containers floating in the ocean as they grow.

The project is to test the practicality of closed-containment salmon aquaculture, which pumps water in and out to segregate farmed fish and their parasites from the open ocean.

Closed containment was recommended this spring by a legislative committee studying the issue as the standard for new British Columbia fish farms within five years, but is not used commercially anywhere in the world.

The Middle Bay Sustainable Aquaculture Institute received a $2.4 million federal grant for the project earlier this year, as well as $1.2 million from the US-based Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Vancouver Aquarium president John Nightingale is a member of the institute board, and the Comox Indian Band and private investors are also involved.