Fish Farming Takes Centre Stage at Cold Harvest Conference

Industry leaders, scientists, politicians, and policymakers gather in St. John’s, Newfoundland, this week to tackle the pressing challenges facing Canada’s aquaculture sector

By Fabian Dawson
SeaWestNews

Fish farming will be in the spotlight this week as industry leaders, scientists, and policymakers and politicians gather in St. John’s, Newfoundland, for the Cold Harvest Conference, a key event aimed at shaping the future of aquaculture in Canada.

The three-day conference, hosted by the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA), will run from Sept. 23-25 at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland under the theme “Responsible Aquaculture: Growing and Sustaining Our Communities.”

This year’s conference comes at a pivotal moment for Canada’s seafood industry, as it grapples with heightened environmental activism, new technologies, and increasing pressure to meet the growing global demand for sustainable protein.

Federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson will address the conference that will open with a  keynote address by Dr. Ken Coates of the University of Saskatchewan, who will examine the intersection of environmental activism, marine science, and the economic health of coastal communities.

Dr. Coates presentation – “Commotion on the Ocean: Environmental Activism, Marine Science and the Economics of Coastal Communities” is expected to set the tone for discussions about how Canada can balance environmental stewardship with economic opportunity in the rapidly evolving aquaculture sector.

Plenary Speaker, Marie-Chantal Ross, Director of Canada’s $74 million National Research Council Ocean will share her personal journey to illustrate why aquaculture is pivotal for coastal economies, food security, and climate resilience.

One of the most anticipated sessions is an interactive panel on communications and public relations, titled “Sea of Change: Rewriting the Narrative on Aquaculture”, which will be facilitated by  Victoria Windsor, Director of Public and Government Affairs, Grieg Seafood North America.

The panel will feature Tim Kennedy, President and CEO of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, Jennifer Woodland, Managing Director, Grieg Seafood BC and Chair of the BC Salmon Farmers Association, Ian Roberts, an aquaculture sector veteran and owner of Precision Public Relations Inc. and Sebastian Belle, Executive Director of the Maine Aquaculture Association.

The session will tackle strategies to counteract anti-aquaculture activism and misinformation, a challenge that Kennedy says is vital to the industry’s growth.

“We have to do a better job of education and outreach to show how much the industry has changed and improved,” Kennedy told SeaWestNews. “Our goal is to break the polarization we see with activist communities and find solutions. Canada must grow more seafood, and that requires a broad base of support.”

Panelist Ian Roberts, a 32-year aquaculture veteran, emphasized that combating misinformation requires more than social media campaigns. While platforms like TikTok and Instagram are valuable tools for industry morale and outreach, Roberts argues that direct engagement with influential voices in mainstream media remains crucial.

“Social media gives instant gratification through likes and views, but the real impact comes from behind-the-scenes work,” Roberts told SeaWestNews. “Engaging directly with influential figures can stop misinformation at its source. It’s uncomfortable work, but one strong, well-informed conversation can outweigh hundreds of random, misinformed voices online.”

Roberts said regions like Newfoundland, where aquaculture is poised for significant growth, often become targets for activist campaigns as soon as expansion plans are announced.

“Newfoundland is now facing the kind of activism we saw on the West Coast years ago,” he noted. “This is the moment to get ahead of it with facts and meaningful engagement.”

Beyond the communications challenge, Cold Harvest will also showcase cutting-edge innovations in fish farming. Sessions will explore the use of artificial intelligence in aquaculture, advancements in fish health and sustainability practices, and the role of farmed fish in addressing global food security and nutrition needs.

The trade show component will feature the latest technologies and services supporting the sector, giving producers and suppliers a chance to network and collaborate.

As the Cold Harvest Conference gets underway this week, aquaculture on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts is at a crossroads.

in Newfoundland, industry leaders are preparing to fight a proposed National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA) that could halt future growth in fish farming.

Keith Sullivan, Executive Director of NAIA, warns that the NMCA could deliver a devastating blow to local economies. Covering 6,538 square kilometres, an area larger than Prince Edward Island, the proposed zone would ban all aquaculture activities, including salmon farming and even support operations such as smolt delivery by vessels.

In British Columbia, the sector is grappling with the federal government’s planned ban on ocean salmon farms, a move that has already led to significant job losses and threatens thousands more.

Here, salmon farmers and their First Nation partners are urging Ottawa to replace activist-driven policies with science-based decision-making.

They argue that with regulatory stability, their sector could play a major role in   Prime Minister Mark Carney’s call for “elbows up” economic growth.

The salmon farming sector in BC has the potential to generate $2.5 billion in annual output and 9,000 jobs by 2030, rising to $4.2 billion and more than 16,000 jobs by 2040, but only if the right policy framework is in place, said Brian Kingzett, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA).

Main image courtesy of NAIA whose members include salmonid growers, shellfish growers, primary and secondary processors, hatchery producers, aquaculture supply and service companies, and academia.