Defining the Appropriate Regulatory and Policy Framework for the Development of Integrated Multi-trophic Aquaculture Practices

Description

A workshop was held in St. John (NB) on March 25-26, 2004 with selected scientists, industrial partners, representatives of professional associations, and government officers (DFO, CFIA, DOE, NB DAFA, NB DELG, etc.) who have a comprehensive knowledge and a capacity to understand all the biological/environmental and regulatory/policy implications of multi-trophic integrated practices and who have sufficient power to recommend and implement changes. A few very senior government officers invited to introduce and conclude the workshop made final recommendations. As a significant fraction of Maritime seafood production is exported to the USA market key USA/State government officers/regulators also attended.

The objectives were as follows:

• To present the current state-of-knowledge on the scientific research related to integrated culture.
• To present an overview of the applicable regulatory, policy and marketing issues that are relevant to integrated aquaculture.
• To identify the impediments (real or perceived) that may affect the future development of integrated culture.
• To assemble, in the same location, the key players who need to discuss and address these stumbling blocks and try to resolve them so that innovative and more sustainable practices in aquaculture are allowed to progress. Having all the institutions/agencies together may help break the classical "my agency can not make a final decision as other agencies also involved…" scenario.
• To provide a bridging mechanism for Canada and US policy makers to work together on developing guidelines for the evolving aquaculture industry.
• To provide a working group forum where near-term solutions can be derived by multi-sector participants to issues that are rooted in out-dated historical policies.

Program Name

Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP)

Year(s)

2004 - 2004

Ecoregion(s)

Atlantic: Gulf of Maine, Scotian Shelf

Principal Investigator(s)

Shawn Robinson
Email: Shawn.Robinson@dfo-mpo.gc.ca