Environmental Management Code of Practice

Final Report
BC Shellfish Growers Association (BCSGA)
AIMAP 2012-MA02

The first Environmental Management Code of Practice (EMCP) for the BC shellfish aquaculture industry EMCP was finalized in 2001 and, although a good piece a work with a lot of merit, there have been some major changes to the aquaculture industry nationally over the last decade that now need to be addressed by an updated EMCP. New developments identified through research have highlighted the need to update the EMCP to be in line with the best possible practices currently available. With an even greater reliance, both by farmers and the public, on the codes of practice in use by farmers across the country, market demands have made clear the need for a contemporary, industry driven set of codes relating to the production of shellfish. This will be an essential tool for moving our industry forward over the next ten years.

This Aquaculture Innovation and Market Access Program (AIMAP) funded project resulted in a shellfish farming “new – developed in 2013” Environmental Management Code of Practice for BCSGA members. In addition, it reports on best practices and delivers supporting materials to help others understand and enable the code in other jurisdictions. The work was conducted with both West and East coast input from regional associations and farmers alike. Working with shellfish growers, industry associations, government regulators and other stakeholder groups, this Code of Practice encompasses the best practices available and give farmers the tools to remain globally competitive in an environmentally and economically viable way.

This new EMCP will have a significant impact on the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the shellfish aquaculture industry in Canada by providing farmers with the tools to compete in a global economy, while preserving the values of Canadian sustainability as responsible users of ocean resources.

The BC shellfish aquaculture industry has long recognized the interdependent relationship between their industry and the health of the environment. They believe that the sustainable use of marine resources is a shared responsibility requiring cooperation between all marine users and regulatory authorities. The animals cultured by the shellfish industry are an integral part of the marine ecosystem, and commercial shellfish growers are dependent upon a clean and healthy marine environment. By adopting this EMCP, shellfish aquaculturists will foster environmental stewardship which will be crucial to the survival and continued prosperity of the shellfish industry.

A further outcome of this project will be the Canada wide sharing of BCSGA's template and results to all aquaculture associations to enable a standardized shellfish farming environmental code of practice that will stand up under scrutiny and that has been generated at a grass roots level.

New developments identified through research have highlighted the need to update the EMCP to be in line with the best possible practices currently available. This new EMCP will have a significant impact on the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the shellfish aquaculture industry in Canada by providing farmers with the tools to compete in a global economy, while preserving the values of Canadian sustainability as responsible users of ocean resources.

The EMCP and the guidelines were compiled to assist current and new shellfish growers to comply with the requirements of the applicable federal and provincial environmental legislation and to establish management practices that ensure environmental responsibility and sustainability.

For consumers, as the end user of aquaculture products, it is envisaged that they will find value in these guidelines in that they can be used as a yardstick against which the environmental responsibility of product suppliers can be measured.

The Environmental Management Codes of Practices (EMCP) was developed in consultation with industry stakeholders, NGO's and other marine user groups. The document outlines the commitment of BC shellfish aquaculturists to maintain and improve the operation of their industry by taking the lead as environmental stewards of the marine environment.