The Provincial Government is seeking input into the development of a strategy for coastal and oceans management in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Environment and Conservation, today released a discussion paper for the consultations and encouraged feedback from key stakeholders and the public.

“We look forward to hearing from the various groups and members of the public who have an interest in oceans policy,” said the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. “As our marine industries grow and develop, it will be critical that all stakeholders work together to ensure we are using our resources in the most effective manner possible for all user groups. This process will help ensure that we can accomplish that goal through our oceans strategy and policy framework.”

The strategy will formalize the vision, goals and principles that will guide how coastal and ocean resources are developed in a sustainable manner. The discussion paper will be directly distributed to stakeholder groups in a variety of industries and sectors. Members of the public and ocean industry stakeholders can provide written feedback on the discussion paper and may contact the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture for additional information.

“Our oceans play a very valuable role in our ecosystems and it is important that we employ an appropriate policy framework for their management,” said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Environment and Conservation. “Our goal is sustainability and ensuring we use our resources effectively, and consultations will certainly provide valuable input on oceans management from all stakeholders.”

Submissions can be provided by mail, fax or e-mail. For more information, interested individuals or groups should contact the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture at the following:

Division of Sustainable Fisheries and Oceans Policy
Petten Building, 30 Strawberry Marsh Road
P.O. Box 8700
St. John’s, NL
A1B 4J6
Phone: 709-729-1140
Fax: 709-729-6082
coastsandocean@gov.nl.ca

“Oceans management is an important area of public policy for our government,” said Minister Jackman. “This builds on work that has been done previously by the Williams Government and we look forward to hearing what members of the public and stakeholders have to say on these matters. It is vital that issues are identified throughout the province and that all interested parties have an opportunity for input into the process of developing this oceans strategy and policy framework.”

Copies of the discussion document may be found at www.gov.nl.ca/fishaq/publications/OceansDiscussionPaper.pdf

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Issue: On February 9, 2009, the British Columbia Supreme Court (BCSC) ruled that aquaculture is a fishery and therefore of exclusive federal jurisdiction. In essence, this ruling means that the majority of the elements of the British Columbia provincial aquaculture regulatory regime lie outside the constitutional jurisdiction of the Province. The current federal regulatory regime does not adequately cover the British Columbia aquaculture fishery. In order to afford the federal government time to consider legislation (including regulations) of its own, the BCSC suspended its decision until December 18, 2010. A federal regulatory regime is required to be in place by this date to ensure that new and existing aquaculture operations are able to obtain licences to operate lawfully under the Fisheries Act (the Act).

Description: Applicable provisions of existing regulations, such as the Fishery (General) Regulations (FGR), combined with the proposed Pacific Aquaculture Regulations (the Regulations) would replace existing provincial regulations that applied to the cultivation of fish. The proposed Regulations would work synergistically and would provide for management and regulation of aquaculture on the Pacific coast.

The proposed Regulations would establish a licensing regime, consistent with the regime for other fisheries managed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) but tailor-made to address the uniqueness of the aquaculture sector. The licence conditions under the proposed Regulations would regulate most aspects of aquaculture that were covered in the former provincial regulations, while other aspects such as deleterious substance deposit authorizations (section 36) would be managed directly through the proposed Regulations.

Cost-benefit statement: The baseline for the cost-benefit analysis is the current situation in which aquaculture is managed by the British Columbia government. The proposed Regulations would contribute to the long-term sustainability of aquaculture in British Columbia and would provide clarity to the Canadian regulatory environment for aquaculture.

The proposed Regulations would maintain the current economic activity in rural communities (in 2007, the overall revenue generated by the aquaculture industry in British Columbia was approximately $385M) and boost investor and consumer confidence (approximately 90% of farmed salmon is exported to the United States).

For the federal government, it is expected that the implementation of the regulatory regime would cost $8–8.5M annually. The high end of the estimate assumes that the existing provincial program (which costs approximately $5.7M annually) would be replaced by federal programming. The net effect for taxpayers is an approximately 40% increase over current provincial costs.

Business and consumer impacts: The proposed Regulations would be designed to reduce regulatory burden while ensuring proper management of the sector, particularly with respect to protection and conservation of fish and fish habitat.

Due to the consolidation of federal and provincial licences and authorizations to one licence, it is expected there would be some savings of administrative costs by aquaculture companies. Financial uncertainty and risks for farms would also be reduced through specific provisions for management of environmental aspects.

The current duplication in the area of fish habitat protection (federal) and finfish waste water control (provincial) would be eliminated.

Domestic and international coordination and cooperation: Throughout the regulatory development process, DFO has been consulting with other federal agencies, such as Environment Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Health Canada and Transport Canada.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is working with British Columbia to transition the existing provincial regulatory regime into a federal regime. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is being negotiated to capture how the roles and responsibilities would be covered between the provincial government and DFO. Consultations have been held with First Nations and other stakeholders, including industry and environmental non-government organizations (ENGOs).

This proposal is not expected to impact Canada’s trading partners.

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“Last month, I released a public-consultation draft of the regulations because we wanted to hear back from Canadians. And today with the Canada Gazette posting, we are again listening to Canadians and working to make the proposed wastewater regulations law.  These are concrete steps we are taking to make sure that Canadians continue to enjoy water that is clean, safe and plentiful for generations to come,” said Minister Prentice. ”

The Government of Canada is taking the lead in proposing regulations for municipal, community, federal and other wastewater systems, which include standards for national wastewater effluent quality and provide regulatory clarity for rules on reporting for more than 3,700 Canadian facilities.  For those not already meeting the effluent quality standards, there is a proposed phase-in approach.  For higher-risk wastewater effluent discharges, facilities will have up until 2020 to upgrade, whereas others would have until 2030 or 2040 depending on level of risk associated with existing effluent quality and environmental considerations.

“We are committed to continue working together with provinces, territories and municipalities to make this a reality,” said the Minister. “These regulations will help us conserve and protect Canada’s water quality. And I am happy to point out that this collaborative spirit and progress speak to the theme of “Clean Water for a Healthy World” that is the global focus of the upcoming World Water Day on March 22.

The regulations are the principal instrument that Environment Canada is using to implement the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) Canada-wide Strategy for the Management of Municipal Wastewater that was endorsed in 2009.

The Government of Canada is partnering with provinces, territories and municipalities to make significant investments in water and wastewater infrastructure. Under Government of Canada infrastructure funds, including the Building Canada, Green Infrastructure, Stimulus and Gas Tax Funds, over $3.25 billion has been spent or committed for wastewater and water infrastructure. Such projects are a top priority for these funds.

Canadians can now access the proposed regulations at http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2010/2010-03-20/html/reg1-eng.html

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PACIFIC LEADERS TAKE ACTION
ON CLEAN ENERGY, TRANSPORTATION, OCEAN CONSERVATION

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Leaders from British Columbia, California, Oregon, and Washington have signed onto a series of joint actions that will help create jobs, strengthen the Pacific Coast economy, advance action on climate change and clean energy, and protect the marine environment.

The actions were ratified today during the inaugural Leaders’ Forum of the Pacific Coast Collaborative. Established by British Columbia’s premier and Pacific Coast governors in June 2008, the collaborative’s founding agreement pledges the participating governments to forge a partnership for leadership, co-operative action, and a common voice on issues affecting the Pacific coast region.

The meeting was hosted by Premier Gordon Campbell of British Columbia and chaired by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California. Governor Christine Gregoire of Washington, and Secretary of State Kate Brown representing the state of Oregon, and Governor Ted Kulongoski also attended. The forum took advantage of participants being in Vancouver to attend the opening of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

“The agreements signed today are an important step towards advancing North America’s West Coast as a global leader in the new low-carbon economy, ocean health, renewable energy and transportation,” said Premier Campbell. “I want to thank the governors for coming to British Columbia to help us celebrate the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and for continuing to work with us to build a strong economy and sustainable region for our citizens.”

“The actions we are taking today will build a stronger economy and a stronger environment for communities throughout the Pacific region and beyond,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “The Pacific Coast Collaborative has shown that by taking meaningful action and showing determined leadership, the rest of the world will follow the steps we are taking to build a better future. I want to thank Premier Campbell, Governor Gregoire and Governor Kulongoski for helping our entire region move forward through this important collaborative.”

“Those of us here today recognize the challenges of a changing climate and a changing economy,” Governor Gregoire said. “By acting together, we can show the world that it is possible, and necessary, to embrace solutions that address both.”

“These agreements demonstrate our collective commitment to protecting the health of the West Coast’s ocean and the ecosystems and economies that depend on them,” Governor Kulongoski said. “Taking strong action now means a stronger tomorrow for our coastal communities.”

Two action plans were signed by the leaders today: Innovation, the Environment and the Economy; and Ocean Conservation and Coastal Climate Change Adaptation.

The Action Plan on Innovation, the Environment and the Economy sets out a series of co-operative initiatives to promote renewable and low-carbon energy and energy conservation, including developing Interstate 5/Highway 99 as a green transportation corridor. It also promotes development of high-speed rail from San Diego to Vancouver and the move to “Green Ports” through co-operation to reduce local air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions.

The Action Plan on Ocean Conservation and Coastal Climate Change Adaptation focuses on co-operation on invasive species, reductions in toxins and other pollutants, promoting sustainable fisheries management and research into impacts from climate change and adaptation options.

The forum also saw the leaders consider and release for further discussion and public input a “Vision 2030” paper intended to serve as a living document for the Pacific Coast Collaborative. The paper sets out a strategic vision for the future of Pacific North America and regional collaboration. The objective is to ensure that west coast jurisdictions achieve global leadership in sustainable economic development – attracting new jobs and encouraging investment and innovation while enhancing an already unparalleled quality of life.

The leaders also unveiled a new, shared PCC website to facilitate regional sharing of information and best practices between governments and with citizens. It is online at: http://www.pacificcoastcollaborative.org. The documents signed today can also be found on this site.

Leaders welcomed Oregon Governor Kulongoski’s offer to host and chair the next PCC Leaders Forum in November 2010.

BACKGROUNDER

PACIFIC COAST COLLABORATIVE 2010 ACTION PLANS

The Pacific Coast Collaborative

On June 30, 2008, the premier of British Columbia and the governors of Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington signed the Memorandum to Establish the Pacific Coast Collaborative, the first agreement that brings together the Pacific leaders as a common front to set a co-operative direction. The Pacific Coast Collaborative is a formal basis for co-operative action, a forum for leadership and information sharing, and a common voice on issues facing Pacific North America. The following were set as priority areas for action:

• Clean energy
• Regional transportation
• Innovation, research and development
• Sustainable regional economy
• Emergency management
• Any other areas of common interest

The Memorandum establishing the Pacific Coast Collaborative provides a framework for the development, discussion and adoption of specific agreements or action plans applying to all participating jurisdictions or for those applying to as few as just two jurisdictions.

The Feb. 12, 2010 meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia was the first annual Leaders’ Forum of the Pacific Coast Collaborative. During the session, the leaders of British Columbia, California, Oregon and Washington agreed to two action plans:

1.Action Plan on Innovation, the Environment and the Economy

• Actions on Renewable and Low Carbon Energy include:

o   Promote development and delivery of renewable and low carbon energy in areas including: solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydropower, tidal/wave energy.

o   Support the Western Renewable Energy Zone (WREZ) Project to ensure cost-effective and environmentally-sensitive development of renewable low-carbon energy.

o   Share data and best practices to minimize environmental impacts from renewable low-carbon energy development.

o   Harmonize definitions of low impact renewable resources, starting with hydropower.

o   Seek collaborations on forest product innovation for renewable energy.

• Actions on Energy Conservation include:

o   Participate in Pacific Coast symposia on energy equipment.

o   Encourage a “Conservation First” program for regional electrical, gas utilities to encourage lower consumer energy demand, and collaborate on pilot projects for industrial energy efficiency.

o   Promote a wood-building culture and regional forest product innovations for renewable energy.

o   Collaborate on pilot projects for industrial energy efficiency.

o   Share information on efficiency standards in building codes.

o   Leverage energy-efficiency standards for public buildings.

o   Partner to promote green and living communities.

o   Collaborate on a vision to establish “net-zero community energy” homes and buildings.

• Actions on Transportation include:

o   Work with government agencies and private sector partners on further study into a high-speed passenger rail from San Diego to Vancouver, B.C.

o   Build a Pacific Green Highway through continued support for transformation of  Interstate 5 (US) / Highway 99 (B.C.) corridor to establish infrastructure for alternative fuels including through public-private partnerships.

o   Collaborate and share information such as permitting, codes and standards on all electric and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles and hydrogen vehicles; maximize results from research and commercialization efforts.

o   Create consistent roadside signage for alternative fuel stations.

o   Collaborate on next generation biofuels, including cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel blends.

o   Collaborate on public fleet vehicle purchases to maximise purchase leverage.

o   Maximize results from university research and commercialization efforts.

o   Work towards “Green Ports” through synchronized policies and regulations that provide incentives for and encourage development of innovative and sustainable technologies to reduce fine particulates, hazardous air pollutants, greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.

2.Action Plan on Ocean Conservation and Coastal Climate Change Adaptation

• Actions on Ocean  Health and Conservation include:

o   Co-operate on the prevention and clean-up of marine debris.

o   Co-operate to prevent or reduce the spread of invasive species.

o   Collaborate on best practices for reducing risks from toxins and non point source pollution.

o   Promote sustainable fisheries management.

• Actions on Coastal Climate Change Adaptation include:

o   Research and share data on impacts from possible changes to marine and coastal environments and changes in ocean acidity.

o   Share information to address adaptation needs such flood protection and land use decisions.

• Actions on Ocean Research and Innovation include:

o   Support funding by federal governments for the long-term maintenance of ocean observing systems.

o   Support sharing of ocean research and innovation including seafloor mapping.

-30-

BACKGROUNDER

VISION 2030: POSITIONING PACIFIC NORTH AMERICA FOR

SUSTAINABLE PROSPERITY

Leaders from British Columbia, California, Oregon, and Washington released for public input a discussion paper, “Vision 2030”. The paper sets out a strategic vision for regional collaboration. It attempts to answer the question: “What could Pacific North America look like in 2030?“

The objective is to ensure that west coast jurisdictions achieve global leadership in sustainable economic development – attracting new jobs and encouraging investment and innovation while enhancing an already unparalleled quality of life.

“Vision 2030” outlines a possible future under the headings of:

• Harnessing the Power of Collaboration
• A Sustainable Regional Economy in 2030
• Creating Green jobs
• Building Economically Sustainable Communities
• An Innovative Economy
• Creating Regional Networks of Innovation
• Providing Innovative Education and Skills Training
• A Low-Carbon Economy
• Promoting Renewable Energy
• Accelerating Clean Transportation
• Connecting High Speed Rail
• Utilizing Green Ports
• A Conservation Economy
• Building a Smart Grid
• Constructing Green Buildings and Communities
• Getting to Zero Waste
• Promoting Resource Conservation
• A Secure Regional Economy
• Establishing Emergency Management Systems
• Adapting to Climate Change.

The document was released Feb. 12, 2010 by the Premier of British Columbia and the governors of California, Oregon and Washington on the occasion of the first Leaders’ Forum of the Pacific Coast Collaborative in Vancouver, B.C.

For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.

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“The purpose of this moratorium is to both meet the spirit of the recent B.C. Supreme Court ruling while ensuring a smooth transition of aquaculture regulation to the federal government,” said Thomson. “Negotiating the regulatory transfer of shellfish in addition to the court ordered transfer of finfish aquaculture will ensure B.C.’s aquaculture industry has an efficient and unified regulatory system.”

On Tuesday the B.C. Supreme Court granted an extension to the transfer deadline for finfish aquaculture to federal regulation until Dec. 18, 2010. As part of this extension, the Court ordered a suspension on approvals of all new marine finfish licenses in B.C.

In addition, the Province is also announcing it will no longer be accepting new applications for shellfish aquaculture licenses and will only process those applications received prior to Jan. 26, 2010. Furthermore, the Province has announced its intention to negotiate the transfer of shellfish aquaculture regulation to the federal government. This decision will enable the federal government to become the single regulator for aquaculture, while the Province retains management over Crown land.

“By moving towards a transfer of shellfish aquaculture regulation, we are laying the foundation for a more efficient aquaculture management system,” said Thomson. “Our aim is to work with the federal government to create a streamlined aquaculture regulation that sustainably manages B.C.’s aquaculture sectors.”

In February 2009, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled that marine finfish aquaculture is a fishery and a matter of federal jurisdiction. The court directed the transfer of administration and regulatory control to the federal government.

FINFISH POLICY

The Province is placing a moratorium on issuing new finfish aquaculture licences and tenures.

The Province will continue to process applications from existing licensees, on existing tenures, that do not result in an overall increase in annual production.

The Province will also continue to renew existing tenures according to established procedures for decision, as part of our obligation and duty under the B.C. Land Act.

As freshwater and non-tidal aquaculture are subject to further federal-provincial discussions, no restrictive actions are being taken on this sector at this time.

There are seven applications for new finfish sites currently being adjudicated that will be suspended as a result of this moratorium and the court decision.

SHELLFISH POLICY

The Province will continue to make decisions according to established procedures on shellfish applications that have been received before Jan. 26, 2010.

There are 42 applications for new shellfish sites that will continue to be adjudicated.

No applications for shellfish aquaculture received after Jan. 26, 2010 will be accepted.

Note: “Established procedures for decision” include biological, bio-physical and environmental assessment, referral to federal and provincial agencies and local government and potentially affected parties such as fishing organizations, marine carriers and First Nations consultation.

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Issue: Canada has no national regulations to control the import or movement of crustaceans, molluscs or finfish species other than salmonids for disease control purposes. In areas where programs for the control of aquatic animal disease exist, implementation is limited and varies between provinces/ territories. This leaves Canada’s aquatic resources vulnerable to devastation by the introduction or spread of diseases and also leaves exporters vulnerable to market closures. Canada’s regulatory infrastructure currently lags behind international standards for aquatic animal health control measures.

Description: Amendments to the Health of Animals Regulations and the Reportable Diseases Regulations are needed to address regulatory gaps and to implement Canada’s National Aquatic Animal Health Program (NAAHP). Federal intervention is required to meet international trade standards and prevent loss of aquatic resources due to disease introduction or spread. The proposed amendments to the Health of Animals Regulations (the Regulations) add aquatic animals and diseases of national and international significance to the regulatory framework currently applied to terrestrial animals. The regulatory changes require the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to be informed of the presence of listed diseases and implement controls to prevent these diseases from being introduced into, or spread within, Canada.

Cost-benefit statement: These regulations ensure aquatic animals, and their products that pose a risk of listed disease spread, meet the requirements of international standards for national aquatic animal disease management. This supports Canada’s reputation for high quality seafood exports and the CFIA’s current investment in securing market access (domestic and international).

In 2006, Canada exported marine, freshwater and aquaculture fish and seafood products worth $4.1 billion, representing 85% (in value) of catches and aquaculture production. Imports for the same period were worth $2.1 billion, some of which were processed and re-exported. Fishery harvest and processing industries represent a multi-billion-dollar investment to coastal and rural economies in Canada, including Aboriginal communities. In 2006, marine and freshwater fisheries employed (directly and indirectly) 51 462 people, while the processing industry and aquaculture employed, respectively, 28 587 and 3 970 people. Furthermore, money spent on recreational fishing activities contributed $7.5 billion to local economies across Canada.

Increasingly stringent international standards are driving seafood importing nations to require Canada to certify health (disease) status, not just food safety, of live aquatic animals and their products. Without the proposed regulatory amendments, Canada cannot meet these standards, and is facing increasing challenges to export market access. Canada is already subject to a lesser market access than the United States, Europe and some other nations due to our current, outdated, federal regulatory framework.

Business and consumer impacts: Import controls and compulsory notification of regulated diseases would support the health attestation required to access current markets and would also increase the competitive access for Canadian fish and seafood to new export markets. The regulatory amendments would also reduce Canada’s current vulnerability to losses by a wide range of seafood sector users due to the introduction or spread of infectious diseases. Costs of compliance for businesses and individuals involved in importing live aquatic animals and products or movements within Canada from high-risk to low-risk areas would depend on the conditions imposed to mitigate the risk of disease transfer.

Currently, if an aquatic disease were to be discovered in one part of Canada, it would have the potential to affect the disease status of the whole country. This amendment would allow for areas to be designated as infected and as buffer areas, thereby preserving a higher status in the rest of the country.

The impact on consumers would be minimal as table ready seafood is not controlled under the proposed regulatory amendments. However, the protection given to Canada’s aquatic animal resources would help sustainable productivity which, indirectly, benefits consumers with stable pricing.

Domestic and international coordination and cooperation: Canada is a member of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), which has 175 member countries and is the international standard-setting body for the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement), as applied to animal health. Canada is an active member at the world and regional levels, and is working with the United States on measures applied to shared waters. Canada is working to ensure that the application of the standards are aligned with those of key trade partners, such as Europe. The regulations proposed for the amendment are based on the international standard with specific conditions to protect Canada’s aquatic resources and health status.

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Under the leadership and direction of DFO, and with the support of the Provinces and Territories, the National Aquaculture Strategic Action Planning Initiative (NASAPI) has been launched to develop targeted action plans to facilitate sustainable development in all regions of the country. Each Strategic Action Plan will target precise and realistic objectives to be achieved within a 5-year time frame. Implementation will be facilitated through a national agreement endorsed by the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (CCFAM) and coordinated amongst the federal and provincial / territorial governments via MOUs or other similar mechanisms.

What’s been done to date:

To date, eleven meetings concerning finfish and shellfish have been held in PEI, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador, Quebec, Ontario and the Prairies. A discussion paper, shared in advance with all workshop participants, was developed to focus and stimulate productive discussions throughout the consultation process. In order to facilitate more intensive expert discussion, the issue of identifying priority species for diversification efforts was dealt with separately through five advance regional workshops in February and March of 2009.

Federal British Columbia Aquaculture Regulation:

In light of the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the British Columbia governance and regulatory regime, the west coast NASAPI meetings were postponed until the BC regulatory landscape was clarified. The BC Supreme Court allowed DFO one year to develop and implement a federal aquaculture regulation for BC. In view of the scope of work involved, DFO has approached the Court to secure an extension to December 2010 and DFO is proceeding on the assumption that this extension will be granted. If the extension is not granted by the Court, DFO will establish and implement appropriate interim measures for the management of aquaculture in BC.

The public consultations to support the development of the BC regulation will be held in tandem with the National Aquaculture Strategic Action Plan Initiative (NASAPI) discussions. First Nations and other aboriginal groups sessions and those dealing with the finfish and shellfish sectors in BC are now scheduled to take place in December 2009 and January 2010. An updated document, “Federal BC Aquaculture Regulation & Strategic Action Plan Initiative Discussion Document” is available to guide these discussions.

Should you wish to provide written comment, please complete and email your submission to aquacultureconsultations@dfo-mpo.gc.ca no later than February 26, 2010.

DFO is seeking views on the elements of a BC aquaculture regulation and the National Aquaculture Strategic Action Plan, noting that the initiatives are in the discussion stage only.  DFO has not yet taken a policy position on elements, nor is there a draft regulation or action plan developed as of the public release of the BC discussion document.

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Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), in partnership with other federal departments and agencies and the Provincial and Territorial members of the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers – Aquaculture Task Group (CCFAM-ATG), is leading a collaborative exercise to advance socially and environmentally sustainable aquaculture development in Canada¹.  Achieving Canada’s potential as a leading aquaculture producer requires that the principal challenges and constraints to sustainable development be addressed and resolved.  Based on consultation, specific objectives, targets and action plans will be necessary to guide the efforts of all pertinent parties.  This discussion document has been prepared as background information to facilitate robust dialogue amongst industry, governments and other stakeholders in support of this exercise.

The document explores various topics and seeks contribution from groups and individuals with an interest in the subject.  It is intended to focus discussions and stimulate strategic thinking in the interest of generating plausible innovative and progressive solutions.

Canada supports the sustainable development of aquaculture.  Federal and provincial governments recognize sustainable aquaculture as a legitimate use of Canadian waters and it is the responsibility of both levels of government to ensure that the environment and other public interests are not unduly compromised by aquaculture development.  For more information, please refer to www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/aquaculture.

Through extensive engagement via a series of regional workshops in the Spring and Summer of 2009, it is expected that meaningful input will be obtained to:

• confirm our collective understanding of the constraints facing sustainable development of the sector;
• provide a platform from which to generate insight and innovative advice regarding potential means to resolve the identified constraints; and,
• use this feedback to facilitate the activities and decision-making by industry, governments and other stakeholders in development of strategic action plans to strengthen the economically, socially and environmentally sustainable development of the Canadian aquaculture sector.

This discussion document (i) provides a general overview of the Canadian aquaculture sector; (ii) describes the challenges and priorities that have been identified by industry, stakeholders, and Aboriginal peoples over the past number of years; and (iii) seeks to stimulate discussion and input from participants regarding the constraints and possible approaches to resolve them.  The document is organized into the following areas for Strategic Action Planning:

• Regulatory and Management Regimes for a Sustainable Sector
• Environmental Management of Aquaculture
• Introductions & Transfers of Aquatic Organisms
• Access to Wild Stocks for Aquaculture Purposes
• Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program
• Sustainability, Competitiveness, Investment & Innovation
• Innovation
  • Fish & Shellfish Health Management
  • Aquatic Invasive Species
  • Emerging Production Technologies
  • Industry Diversification / Alternative Species
• Risk Management & Access to Financing
• Infrastructure
• Market Access & Certification
• Social Licence & Reporting

Information presented in this document is based on past initiatives, consultations and reports pertaining to aquaculture development in Canada (and elsewhere).  There are no preconceived ideas regarding the outcome of this exercise.  Rather, the intention is to work collaboratively and collectively to develop sectoral action plans that will facilitate further development of sustainable aquaculture throughout Canada.

Within the document, strategic questions are posed at the end of each sub-section to facilitate discussions and guide decisions that will lead to the development of strategic action planning initiatives.  There are 18 strategic questions in all.  Through stakeholder discussion at the regional workshops, however, the emergence of additional factors and questions is likely – and welcomed.

It is also anticipated that different answers will be generated in different regions and/or sectors for the same questions.  Therefore, a provincial / regional consultation process has been employed to solicit input, leading to the development of sector-specific Strategic Action Plans that effectively target the various sub-sectors of the Canadian aquaculture industry; namely:  Shellfish (East Coast), Shellfish (West Coast), Freshwater, Marine Finfish (East Coast) and Marine Finfish (West Coast).  The resulting action plans will address specific needs within each of these industry sub-sectors.  It is also inevitable that there will be many factors in common to the different sectors and regions so it is envisaged that the sectoral action plans will be consolidated within an overarching national action plan pertaining to generic needs and challenges within the industry.

Return to Table of Contents

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