Why Canada’s Blue Economy Needs a Thriving Aquaculture Sector

Innovations in aquaculture together with a nationally connected, science-driven strategy could grow Canada’s Blue Economy fivefold to $220 billion by 2035, states a new report.

By Fabian Dawson
SeaWestNews

Canada, a nation with the longest coastline in the world and a staggering wealth of marine resources, is frittering away a massive economic lifeline by throttling aquaculture-related industries that could power a sustainable future.

This warning comes as a newly released Blue Bioeconomy Insights report calls for a nationally connected, science-driven strategy to unlock the country’s marine potential—one that could grow Canada’s ocean economy fivefold to $220 billion by 2035.

“Canada’s ocean sector has a 5X growth potential that can help transform our economy, creating more jobs and positioning Canada as a leader in ocean innovation,” said Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster.

It is uniquely positioned to lead the global transition to sustainable, science-driven aquatic industries, and innovations in aquaculture could allow Canada to bridge the gap between its current output and that of global leaders like Norway, states the report.

But standing in the way of Canada’s Blue Economy ambitions are activist-induced, Trudeau-era policies, including  a reckless plan to ban ocean salmon farming in British Columbia, contends the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Association (CAIA).

As the ongoing federal election campaign pivots around job creation, reconciliation with First Nations, housing, and affordability issues, CAIA said   a new government must prioritize seafood farming as a critical economic solution for Canada.

“It is a major untapped source of jobs and Canadian home-grown food, while supporting environmental stewardship, Indigenous reconciliation, and community revitalization,” said Timothy Kennedy, CAIA President & CEO, and a Steering Committee member of the new report.

“Canada has the most cold-water aquaculture production potential in the world, but we are not responsibly developing this. The global seafood industry is in the midst of historical change as precision farming grows the majority of healthy seafood for a growing global population,” he said.

“It is the lowest carbon-footprint and most sustainable large-scale animal protein production in the world and should be embraced as a major opportunity for Canada.”

The Blue Bioeconomy Insights report echoes a previous analysis by CAIA that Canada is only using one percent of its viable ocean area for seafood farming development. In comparison, Norway has about a third of the ocean potential of Canada, while its output is almost twenty times the farmed seafood production of Canada.

The result of Ottawa’s politically motivated decisions has also left Canada struggling to defend its position as the fourth-largest salmon producer in the world, with Australia and the Faroe Islands rising in the rankings.

With the Trudeau government’s 2024 decision to “ban” ocean net pen farming in British Columbia within five years, there has been a significant chill on investment across the aquaculture sector in Canada, said Kennedy.

If enacted, the ban would eliminate the province’s top agri-food export and destroy 4,560 jobs. Additionally, it is projected to leave taxpayers liable for $9 billion in compensation to existing salmon farmers, suppliers, and First Nations.

Salmon farmers in B.C. and their First Nations partners have proposed an alternative to the ban, which aligns with Canada’s Blue Economy ambitions outlined in the new report released today.

“This plan could generate $2.5 billion in output, $930 million in GDP, and 9,000 jobs paying $560 million in wages by 2030, and $4.2 billion in output by 2040, providing sustainable local protein while protecting wild salmon using innovative technologies and practices,” said B.C. Salmon Farmers Association Executive Director, Brian Kingzett.

CAIA, whose members generate over $5.3 billion in economic activity and employ more than 17,550 Canadians, said three solutions are immediately available to the federal government to revitalize the aquaculture sector:

• Transfer aquaculture development responsibilities to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to ensure the sector is supported under a ministry focused on sustainable growth;
• Establish a responsible, science-based pathway for B.C. salmon farming that delivers sustainable environmental outcomes, restores investor confidence, creates jobs, and empowers rights-holder First Nations to make decisions in their own territories; and
• Modernize the federal shellfish management system to unlock new economic opportunities and eliminate outdated regulatory barriers.

Canada has a choice to either remain complacent and watch this opportunity slip away or take bold action to secure food systems, grow the economy, and breathe new life into coastal communities, said Kennedy.

“We can make great things happen with the right framework for growth,” he added.

(Main Image shows Kendra MacDonald, CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster)