Aquaculture Survey in Atlantic Canada Exposes B.C.’s Salmon Farming Disconnect

A new regional survey shows Atlantic Canadians increasingly see aquaculture as a source of jobs, food security and economic strength, while British Columbia remains stuck in a salmon farming debate shaped by politics, activism and misinformation.

By Fabian Dawson
SeaWestNews

While anti-salmon farming activists in British Columbia continue to flood social media with fear and falsehoods, a very different picture about this aquaculture sector is emerging on the other side of the country.

A new regional survey has found support for aquaculture in Atlantic Canada has climbed to 85 per cent, signalling that when people see the industry as part of their economy, food system and coastal identity, they are far less likely to buy into activist propaganda.

It also shows public opinion on aquaculture looks very different when it is shaped by lived experience, jobs, and scientific evidence, rather than by digital outrage campaigns orchestrated from urban centres.

The survey, conducted by Narrative Research Associates for the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers’ Association, found aquaculture support rose four points from 2024. It reached 93 per cent in Prince Edward Island, 87 per cent in New Brunswick, and 83 per cent in both Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The same polling found 88 per cent of respondents believe local salmon farming provides important employment, 82 per cent see it as an important contributor to the provincial economy, and 82 per cent view it as a reliable and sustainable source of protein.

“Atlantic Canadians understand that producing more food at home matters. With the right policies and continued innovation, finfish farming can play a major role in strengthening Canada’s food security while creating good jobs and supporting coastal communities,” said Tom Taylor, Executive Director of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers’ Association.

The survey was conducted by telephone with 1,450 Atlantic Canadians aged 18 and older from February 4–23, 2026 by Narrative Research Associates as part of its Atlantic Quarterly Survey. Results are accurate to within ±2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

It also showed strong recognition of the industry’s economic and employment contributions:

• 88% agree local salmon farming provides important employment opportunities (up from 84% in 2024)
• 82% say it is an important contributor to the provincial economy (up from 76%)
• 82% agree salmon farming is a reliable and sustainable source of protein (up from 81%)
• 83% agree aquaculture is a form of farming, just like agriculture on land

When asked why they support the sector, Atlantic Canadians most often pointed to jobs in rural communities (37%) and economic benefits (34%).

Atlantic Canada’s finfish farmers are one of the region’s most significant economic drivers, supporting coastal communities while co-existing alongside traditional wild capture fisheries. The sector employs more than 9,400 people, generates $3.2 billion in economic output, and produces more than 356 million meals annually.

Finfish farming also supports more than 1,400 Atlantic Canadian businesses that provide goods and services to the sector, generating over $600 million in annual sales.

“Activist-driven narratives that ignore evidence-based science threaten investment, innovation, and confidence in Canadian aquaculture,” said Taylor in a statement to mark Canada’s Agriculture Day, where he stressed “Aquaculture Is Agriculture”.

“We are witnessing the consequences in British Columbia, where ideological federal decisions to remove ocean salmon farms are negatively impacting jobs, GDP, production and capital investment interest. The ripple effects from this misfortune resonate in Atlantic Canada,” he said.

“A reversal of the B.C. decision is needed to restore Canada’s image as an investment-friendly country where responsible growth in our sustainable farming sector is welcomed.”

In B.C., the sector remains under the shadow of a Trudeau-era plan to phase out ocean salmon farming licences by 2029, a move being driven by politics rather than science, and one that threatens 4,500 full-time jobs, including hundreds of Indigenous positions.

This is despite data from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab that found that nearly eight in 10 Canadians consume salmon, making it one of the country’s most widely eaten fish. The national survey of more than 10,000 consumers also showed strong repeat demand, with a significant share of households reporting weekly consumption.

This study further highlighted growing acceptance of farmed salmon. A majority of respondents said they believe aquaculture is a sustainable way to produce salmon in Canada, while Atlantic salmon remains the dominant species purchased at retail.

Even as Canadians continue to buy and eat salmon in large numbers, an economic report from the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance shows British Columbia’s farm-raised salmon output has fallen by more than 40 per cent since 2015. Over the same period, Canada’s salmon imports have more than doubled, reaching about $700 million a year.

“Salmon remains Canada’s most consumed seafood,” said Brian Kingzett, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA). “The data clearly shows demand is strong. With long-term regulatory certainty, Canada has a real opportunity to produce more of this food at home.”

That disconnect is now visible in the everyday reality of Canadian grocery stores.

Stewart Muir, a Vancouver-based public commentator on resource industries, said a recent trip to a local grocery store captured what he sees as a deeper problem in Canada’s economy.

“There I am looking at the seafood and the farmed salmon was from Chile, Norway, even Argentina…all flown thousands of kilometres to get here.

“What struck me was that there was no sign anywhere that Canadian salmon farmers are part of the story.

“You’re standing in a coastal city in British Columbia, one of the great salmon regions in the world and yet the product on the shelf is coming from the other side of the planet.”

“It left me with a real sense of powerlessness about how Canadian producers are losing their place even in their own markets.

“My heart actually goes out to the Prime Minister, who’s working very hard right now to improve Canada’s trade balance and strengthen our economy.

“But then you walk into the store where you buy your daily food and you see salmon flown in from three continents while Canadian farmed salmon is nowhere to be seen. It’s a stark reminder of how disconnected our policies have become from the realities of production.

“This isn’t about criticizing Norway or Chile. They’ve built strong aquaculture industries and they’re proud of them.”

“The real question is why Canadians increasingly struggle to see their own industries reflected in their own economy.”

Main image courtesy of ACFFA