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Federal Aquaculture Act

Engagement
Spring - Summer 2019

On this page

1 Sector context

Aquaculture in Canada

Chart, See long description below.
Figure 1. Aquaculture in Canada, production by species and by province, 2017
Long description

Aquaculture in Canada, production by species and by province, 2017

  1. Pie chart showing aquaculture production by species in 2017. A total of 191,416 tonnes were produced. The chart shows that 82.98% of the total was salmon, 16.08% was other finfish, 12.77% was mussels, 7.21% was oysters, 0.85% was clams and 0.07% was other shellfish.
  2. Pie chart showing aquaculture production by province in 2017. A total of 191,416 tonnes were produced. Pie chart shows 51% of this total was produced in BC, 13% was produced in New Brunswick, 13% in Prince Edward Island, 12% in Newfoundland and Labrador, 7% in Nova Scotia, 3% in Ontario and 1% in Quebec.

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 32-10-0107-01 Aquaculture, production and value
Note: Production values for Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta were suppressed to meet confidentiality requirements of Statistics Canada.

Aquaculture by indigenous peoples

Figure 2. Indigenous aquaculture in Ontario and in Atlantic Canada
Long description

Indigenous aquaculture in Ontario and in Atlantic Canada

In Atlantic Canada, 6 Indigenous communities are involved in shellfish aquaculture, primarily oysters, with others interested in mussel and scallop production, 1 Indigenous community in Nova Scotia is involved in rainbow trout production.

In Ontario, 3 Indigenous communities in the Manitoulin Island area are involved in commercial rainbow trout culture, there is interest in cage culture (lake trout, lake whitefish, walleye).

Map. See long description below.
British Columbia
Atlantic Canada
Ontario

Canadian aquaculture regulatory framework

Chart. See long description below.
Overview of Federal-Provincial-Territorial management of aquaculture
Long description

How fisheries farming is managed in Canada.

Fish farming is managed by federal, provincial and territorial governments.

How it’s managed varies across provinces and territories.

Management of site approval (determining where a farm can be located) is shared in British Columbia and Prince Edward Island. It is managed provincially in the rest of Canada.

Land management (overseeing the land/seabed where a farm is located) is shared in Prince Edward Island, and managed provincially in the rest of Canada.

Day to day operations and oversight (monitoring of farm activities) is managed federally in British Columbia and Prince Edward Island. It is managed provincially in the rest of Canada.

Introductions and transfers (managing the planned movement of live eggs and fish) is shared in all of Canada.

Drugs and pesticide approvals (determining which drugs and pesticides are approved for use) is a shared management activity in all of Canada.

Food safety (monitoring and ensuring the safety and quality of fish harvested and sold in Canada and international markets) is managed federally in all of Canada.

2 Background on the act

How we got here

On the path to reconciliation

What we heard from previous engagement

Rationale for an act

Why an aquaculture act?

Act vs. regulations

3 Engagement discussion

Considerations for new act

From our various discussions with Canadians, we will:

Proposed sections for the act

Further development of act structure and content will take place after consultations conclude and we have analyzed all input received.

Preamble and purpose
Scope
Agreements,programs, and projects
Zoning
Regulations
Leases, licenses and fees
Environmental management
Reporting requirements
Offences,punishment, ticketing
Enforcement

4 Timelines

Further information/provide feedback

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