Development of management zones for finfish aquaculture in British Columbia. Phase 1: Data collection and evaluation. Phase 2: Information integration to provide advice and recommendations in support of finfish aquaculture management

Description

This project will provide science advice to enable decision makers to fully consider environmental and operations issues during the process of identifying the locations and creating the boundaries of operational plans. Issues such as farm production, disease transfer and/or control, wild-farm sea lice interactions and others may be important components. The project’s first phase is to collect, organise and document existing scientific data relevant to finfish aquaculture into appropriate management zones in southern BC. The second phase of the project will apply the information gathered in Phase 1 to support the development of the interim Integrated Management of Aquaculture Plans (IMAPs). Scientific advice will be provided to help fill knowledge gaps, define ecosystem health indicators, and evaluate the local and regional impacts to determine the carrying capacity of finfish aquaculture. In addition, Phase 2 will integrate the knowledge base developed from Phase 1 with other Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) research programs in BC, including the identification of ecologically and biologically significant areas, and the Strait of Georgia Ecosystem Research Initiative.

Findings

N/A

Publications

N/A

Program Name

Program for Aquaculture Regulatory Research (PARR)

Year(s)

2011 - 2013

Ecoregion(s)

Pacific: Strait of Georgia

Principal Investigator(s)

Peter Chandler
PO Box 6000, 9860 West Saanich Road, IOS Room 2204, Sidney, BC
Tel.: (250) 363-6750
Email: Peter.Chandler@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Team Member(s)

Mike Foreman, DFO-Pacific

Jon Chamberlain, DFO-Pacific

Roy Hourston, DFO-Pacific Region