Farmed fish make up 20-30% of the Canada’s total seafood supply – concentrated largely on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and in Ontario. Canadian aquaculture is worth $2.1 billion a year, with a total economic benefit of $5.2 billion. With demand for seafood projected to double by 2050, the aquaculture industry will play an increasingly important role in easing pressure on wild fish stocks and ensuring a safe and sustainable supply of seafood.
A first-ever code of practice for farmed salmon, trout and artic charr has been developed to help ensure Canadian farmers meet acceptable husbandry standards and remain globally competitive. It lays out expected production standards for everything from fish tank density and water quality, to fish health management and disease control and staff training.
Members of the code development committee included producers, animal welfare experts, researchers, veterinarians, and government representatives.
Professor Rich Moccia is a faculty member in the Ontario Agriculture College (OAC) and long-time researcher in University of Guelph’s Department of Animal Biosciences. Founding the University’s aquaculture research station in Alma, Ontario, Moccia helped guide the three-year projects as Co-Chair of the scientific committee and as a member of the code committee, both led by the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC).
Moccia also represents the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, the national industry association that initiated development of the code, as part of NFACC’s board of directors.
“We’ve never had a dedicated code of practice for fish farmers to follow that was primarily concerned with animal welfare,” says Moccia. “This is very important for Canada to solidify the credibility and reputational impact of our aquaculture sector.”With countries adopting similar measures, Canada needs to ensure its own code of practice to continue exporting farmed fish to international markets such as the United States, Japan, and Europe. The new code of practice has already been shared with fish farmers across Ontario and Canada.