Aquaculture improving?..The Fish Farm Thread

Government of Canada releases What We Heard Report: Engaging on Canada’s Blue Economy Strategy - Canada.ca

There has never been a clearer opportunity for Canada to secure our blue future. As a nation of three oceans and nearly 250,000 kilometres of coastline and existing strengths in innovation, we have a unique competitive edge.
www.canada.ca www.canada.ca

Canada’s aquaculture sector sustains the growing of finfish, shellfish, and aquatic plants in ocean spaces, inland waterways, and on land, including in hatcheries. Canadians have differing views about net pen finfish farming and this was made clear by the range of input put forward during various roundtables, in written submissions, and in responses to our online survey. For example, we heard from some that this form of fish farming serves a critical role in the domestic and global food supply chain, while others believe it is inconsistent with the sustainable use of the ocean. We received conflicting recommendations, as well, from making efforts to correct public misperceptions of the industry to transitioning some industry activities out of Canadians waters.

We heard more consistent support from participants in our engagement activities for other forms of aquaculture; especially, the growing of various shellfish species and kelp/seaweed farming. We also heard about the efforts of the sector to develop and adapt to new technologies and innovation, such as new feed stock, to increase sustainability. In addition, we learned about the success of aquaculture in attracting youth, Indigenous peoples and other diverse and under-representative groups to its workforce. Moreover, we heard that ‘done right’ through partnerships, aquaculture can play a significant role in reconciliation. To that end, we heard from a number of Indigenous groups across Canada that they are interested in pursuing aquaculture economic development opportunities aligned to their values.

During our roundtables with sector participants and representative organizations, and in written submissions, we heard about the sustainable growth opportunities in new species, such as sea urchin, sea cucumber, Pacific sablefish and kelp/seaweed. Aquaculture has also been part of the seafood success story during COVID-19 and was recognized as an essential service by federal and provincial governments in terms of food security and economic stability and recovery. It was thus recommended that we should support the economic development of new aquaculture species and promote the essential role of aquaculture in sustainable domestic and global food production—and the future economic prosperity of coastal communities.

We also heard that aquaculture has sustainability advantages, such as:

  • access to internationally recognized sustainability and best practices certification programs
  • active participation of industry leaders at international sustainability tables
  • strict operational regulations regarding animal health and water quality monitoring and the use of pesticides and antibiotics
  • advanced technology adoption, including automation, digitalization and traceability
  • together with commercial fisheries, contributing the least carbon compared to other food system sectors
To increase its sustainability, we heard that ‘green licences’ to allow industry to test new technology without using existing production for trials, would be beneficial.

To position aquaculture for sustainable growth and prosperity, it was also recommended that we:

  • agree on and take action to further develop Canada’s seafood strengths
  • develop a 5-year sustainable seafood development plan with measurable objectives
  • recognize the diversity of aquaculture across Canada
  • foster sector certainty and predictability through government recognition
  • collaborate with other departments and agencies (and levels of government) to ensure consistent decision making and streamlined regulations
  • expedite development of an aquaculture act
  • appoint a federal industry champion for economic seafood sector growth
  • recognize aquaculture as a valid user of small craft harbours
  • proactively support financing and capacity building for Indigenous-led operations
  • accelerate actions to conserve, protect, restore and rebuild marine ecosystems, including to protect aquaculture operations and species from the impacts of climate change
  • fill knowledge gaps regarding sustainable use of ocean spaces and new opportunities
  • fill policy and regulatory gaps for aquatic plant farming (e.g., seaweed, kelp, etc.)
  • quicker and more supportive policy development
  • continue to help industry adopt new technologies, including through research and development funding programs
 
JFC ... history of salmon tonnage on this coast was off the radar during the days of canneries. A historian in Rupert whom I met at a historical cannery related the massive cannery could not handle the volume of nature produced fish .. excess "tonnage" was dumped in the bush or back at sea... same case up and down the coast. A single female can produce up t 30,000 eggs (I googled it) ... and not deposit bio filth back into the ocean as a process of its creation. Shill city here for some of the posters... shameful.
 
Not sure we should fantasy's about the good old days... 60 years before fish farms showed up, runs were being depleted.

From a book written in 1919. A few years prior the seine fishery almost completely wiped out CR chinook.

Campbell River is the headquarters for the big tyee salmon and ranks with Cowichan River as world famous fishing water. A few years ago during the month of August you would find scores of fishermen there from all parts of the globe, having come especially to land some of the monster salmon that yearly come to the river to spawn. In those days it was not considered anything much to land two or three fish between forty and fifty pounds with several cohoes in addition before breakfast. Unless a fish was sixty pounds or over, it attracted very little attention. Apart from the pleasure of fishing it was well worth any body's while to go there for a few days and meet men from all over the world and just to watch the fishing whenever there was a favourable tide. You might, perhaps, see as many as sixty boats all fishing at the mouth of the river, with a few Indians in canoes in addition. There would be men, women, and often children, with every conceivable form of tackle, some with hand lines only, others with huge eighteen foot salmon fly rods and many Americans with six-foot tarpon rods, with wonderful multiplying reels. Yon would likely see half a dozen boats all playing "tyees" at the same time, some of them in an agony of fear that some other boat would foul them and shrieking wild, and often strong warnings to boats in their vicinity. There would be smashed tackle and broken rods and narrow escapes from falling overboard and occasionally the sight of a novice man fully playing what he believed to be a record salmon, but in reality the bottom. Then, later in the evening when fishing was over and the inner man refreshed with meat and drink (prohibition was not even thought of in those days) there would be a gathering and events of the day discussed, with the usual stories of record fish lost, etc. Those were great days: they brought the fisherman much pleasure and the Province much profit.' .Alas! the glory of them has departed; commercial fishermen with their traps and seines have unwisely been allowed to ruin the most famous salmon water ever known.
 
is this Fish Farm propaganda expert still around?
Or has he deserted ship as well?Fabian Dawson Sea West Fish Farm promoter.jpg
 
agentaqua said:
www.theglobeandmail.com

Why a federal salmon study that found viruses at B.C. fish farms took 10 years to be released

The federal Fisheries Department in the government of Stephen Harper would not release the 2012 report into open-net fish farms, a position that continued with the Trudeau government
www.theglobeandmail.com www.theglobeandmail.com
Click to expand...
“Dr. Miller-Saunders, who was a key author of the 2012 report, expressed frustration that it took until March of this year for the findings to finally surface. The study found that fish-farmed salmon suffered from jaundice and anemia because of the highly contagious Piscine orthoreovirus (PRV). This virus is associated with organ failure in chinook “

The evidence is crystal clear!!!!!
The fact that money talks is also crystal clear.
What is not clear is when will we finally get these Sea Lice and disease infested fish farms out of our oceans and on dry land where they cannot spread their disease and sea lice to our Chinook and other salmon species!
download.jpgfish farm disease.jpg
 
This move or lack thereof is so DFO. A useless entity if there ever was one.
I suppose the timing of the release just as the polluters are scrambling to keep their nets in the water is appropriate. This will make it easier to stick to the decision to finally pull the nets from the water once and for all.
 
One of the quotes that I found to be utterly disingenuous & misleading, but superficially I agreed with was:

“We encourage industry-related information to be released in the context of a peer-reviewed published paper, rather than an ad hoc release of information through [access to information],” spokesperson Michelle Franze said in a statement on Wednesday.

I also encourage the industry to publish in the peer-reviewed papers as well. That's the superficial response.

However, this is information that affects the health of wild stocks verses solely and purposely & inaccurately labelled "industry-related information".

In addition, the data was generated thru the Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program that is instead a Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) initiative:

Program information

Program information
www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Were ~70% of the costs are publicly-funded.

BUT... Not explicitly written in the fine print on the promotional web site is that if the results are embarrasing to the industry - the industry can block the release of the results while whining about the fact that it got released by someone having to go thru ATIPs and the Office of the Information Commissioner. That's the disingenuous & misleading part - and our own public servants up the line in DFO Aquaculture are quite ok with hiding that info w/o any accountability at all.

That's been going on for years. Time to shine a light on those games done behind closed doors.
 
gone fishin said:
“Dr. Miller-Saunders, who was a key author of the 2012 report, expressed frustration that it took until March of this year for the findings to finally surface. The study found that fish-farmed salmon suffered from jaundice and anemia because of the highly contagious Piscine orthoreovirus (PRV). This virus is associated with organ failure in chinook “
Click to expand...
This statement is false. The study was never released because the authors of the study could not agree on the results. This is has been stuck in limbo for 10 years and still is for the same reason as Miller stated in her comment from the article. The study needs to be peer reviewed and it hasn't been.

Dr. Miller-Saunders noted in her statement that there were disagreements among the groups participating in the study.

Kevin Lemkay, the communications director for DFO, said in a statement Wednesday that under the Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program all authors must agree to the contents of the paper before it is released.
 
Undoubtedly, the industry and it's numerous pundits and PR firms would like the issue of parasite and disease amplification and transfer to wild stocks to remain a question in the public's mind so they don't have to address their potential and realized impacts to wild stocks and so they can continue operating status quo with free pumping, free real estate, free waste disposal and no costly class action lawsuits.

However, if they were instead concerned about truth, transparency and accountability we all would have access to all the data including the data that confirms the industry as being a stressor and a risk to wild stocks including this PRv study; as well as going thru an actual environmental assessment.

Sadly this has never happened because of the above reasons IMHO and this industry has had many years and numerous opportunities to talk the talk and walk the walk - which they never do.

Instead they sell doubt in equal quantities as their fish to preserve their entitled status-quo, even tho it is ALWAYS the proponents responsibility to prove they have no impact.

What part of Kristi's statement do you believe to be untrue, BN? Have any science to back that assertion up?
 
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