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Stop the presses!
It’s rare for this publication to have a ‘Stop the Presses!’ moment but this was one of those times.
In the middle of this issue’s production, the Canadian government made an announcement that the aquaculture industry in British Columbia had been anticipating and dreading. The salmon net pen licenses have been renewed for another five years.
Starting on Canada Day (July 1), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) will no longer be accepting new net-pen licenses. Instead, they will only be accepting new license applications for closed containment on land and at sea.
You can read more details about this news in the pages of this issue. Still, there are things that I can share in this editorial that I would not write into the story at the risk of compromising that story’s journalistic integrity. Reporting on a news event should always maintain a level of objectivity that allows the reader the freedom to explore their own thoughts and conclusions.
Here, in the context of an editorial letter, I can reflect on what it was like for me to report on this story.
Like many others, I sat glued to my laptop screen watching the press conference online. I watched as the ministers expressed their excitement for what they felt was game-changing policy. Meanwhile, I could feel in my mind the collective groans from aquaculturists across the continent as they tried to make sense of the five-year plan that would determine the fate of their livelihoods.
I felt my own frustrations, listening to the general reporters in the room who failed to ask meaningful follow-ups about the information that was being presented in front of them. To be clear, I don’t blame my fellow journalists. Five years ago, I’m sure I would’ve followed the same line of questioning.
It is rare for journalists to have a beat anymore. Gone are the golden days of journalism when it would be more commonplace for reporters to dedicate their whole careers to a specialization. They would dedicate their working hours to a particular corner of the world and immerse themselves in the subject
BY JEAN KO DIN
matter. They would learn to blend into their surroundings and speak the language of the community that they are in.
As a result, they would be equipped with nuanced information, gathered using careful due diligence, which they could then use to hold our government officials accountable for their words and their actions.
I was glad to have attended that press conference virtually with some fellow aquaculture reporters. We each had our turns to ask important questions to the Canadian ministers on behalf of our readers.
Aquaculture is a corner of the world that has not enjoyed the mainstream spotlight. Few consumers are asking their local grocers where their food comes from. Even fewer are asking if their Atlantic salmon was farmed in a net pen or a recirculating aquaculture system.
So, I guess, this is a long way for me to say that it is in important stories like these and the many more that appear in the pages of this issue, you can trust us.
Our team of writers and reporters are dedicated to the aquaculture industry in that we dedicate our working hours to understanding the different marine species that are being raised by farmers across North America. We immerse ourselves in the latest research and technology for more sustainable practices. We blend into the industry conferences where thought leaders share new ideas, and we write about them in their own language.
I see this publication as a meeting place where the industry can share ideas that help empower change. We don’t put ourselves forward as experts. Rather, it is our role to use our platform to connect the right experts so that they can solve problems that will lead aquaculture’s future in the right direction.
I hope we can count on our readers to stay engaged in our work. Let’s continue having conversations about what you think is important for Aquaculture North America to cover in its pages in print and online. Let this publication be for you. Send me an email with your thoughts at jkodin@annexbusinessmedia. com. My inbox is always open.
Baker
Canadian food producers call on government to focus on food security and supply challenges
A team of scientists from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) identified aquaculture as one of several likely causes of salmon declines in the Conne River in Newfoundland. However, while critics of the industry have framed this report as ‘proof’ that the industry harms wild stocks, the language in the report itself is more measured.
“This study was intended as a risk assessment for Conne River where the wild Atlantic salmon population is on an expiration trajectory,” explains lead author J. Brian Dempson.
“A Review of Factors Potentially Contributing to the Long-Term Decline of Atlantic Salmon in the Conne River, Newfoundland, Canada” cites aquaculture as a likely possible driver of declining salmon numbers, alongside climate change and predation.
Some have dismissed the report by asserting that salmon numbers are in decline across the province, not just in proximity to aquaculture operations. Dempson disputes this claim, however, pointing to a 2023 DFO status report which shows the Conne and Little Rivers are the only two in the province with less than 10 percent of their historic abundance.
Though aquaculture was one of several potential impacts, it is a significant one. While the impacts of commercial, recreational, and illegal fisheries were all classified as “stabilized minor decline factors” in the report, aquaculture-related issues such as sea lice, infectious diseases and escaped farmed salmon were listed as ‘expanding major decline factors,’ alongside predation and climate change.
“Owing to the ecological and cultural significance of Conne River Atlantic salmon, as well as the importance of the aquaculture industry to communities on the South Coast of Newfoundland, it is suggested that… collaboration is required between fisheries managers, the aquaculture industry, and local First Nations to actively pursue evidence-based research along with experimental and adaptive restoration measures within this salmon population’s socio-ecological landscape,” the report concludes.
The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) has spoken out against these claims.
Co-authors of the study, Travis Van Leeuwen and Ian Bradbur, based in Newfoundland spoke to the CBC about the major issues that were causing wild salmon decline in the Conne River, N.L., including climate change and predation, “yet they subjectively deemed aquaculture the most significant without presenting any conclusive data to back up their claim. This is unacceptable coming from federal government scientists,” a press release from The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association states.
According to the ACFFA, aquaculture will play an important role in ensuring Canadians and the world have a safe, secure, and sustainable food supply. The fish farmers’ group asked them to retract their statements, issuing a response to the researchers’ claims:
Firstly, the group said the decline in the populations of wild Atlantic salmon populations across the Atlantic region including the Conne River has been ongoing for decades due to reasons including predation from rapidly growing seal populations before salmon farming began.
They added that very few farmed Atlantic salmon have ever been detected in the Conne River. Bay d’Espoir salmon farms are 15 to 20 kilometers away from the Conne estuary.
“It is a well-known fact that genetic material from Atlantic salmon
of European origin is regularly found in wild salmon populations in Newfoundland and the Maritimes. This is likely part of the naturally occurring drift of wild salmon populations in the North Atlantic being influenced by well-documented south-to-north warming due to climate change,” the group’s response states.
Thirdly, there are strict codes of containment to prevent fish escapes that the aquaculture industry adheres to and the ACFFA said salmon farmers are vigilant in regularly inspecting and maintaining the integrity of their farms. They said escapes have reduced since the early 1990s and are below one per cent every year since 1995.
It also stated that sea lice parasites that naturally exist in the ocean are not a significant issue for salmon farms in Bay d’Espoir because of the freshwater influence and wild smolt run timing is also out of seasonal sync with the appearance of gravid female lice on farms.
“Post-smolt salmon tend to migrate rapidly past aquaculture sites. The risk of disease transmission or sea lice transmission from farmed salmon to wild salmon is low even when the natal river empties into the same open bay occupied by the salmon farm. While mature wild salmon typically return from sea to their native river to spawn, approximately 12 to 15 percent of the returning mature salmon migrate to a different river,” said Dr. Kurt Samways, parks Canada research chair in aquatic restoration at the University of New Brunswick.
Finally, the government has reviewed scientific literature detailing the benefits and risks of salmon farming, engaging academia, ENGOs, First Nation communities, aquaculture professionals, and fisheries scientists. The reviews have found very minimal impact on wild salmonids.
ACFFA said the salmon farming sector is committed to constant improvement and will make changes when scientific findings point to the need for any.
“As we move forward to realize the potential of salmon farming for Canada, governments and elected officials need to be able to defend the integrity of their scientists to shape effective regulatory systems going forward. There is no room in that discussion for speculative, biased science,” the statement reads.
“The fact is climate change and predation have been occurring long before salmon farming. For these two researchers to point the finger at salmon farming alone as the major reason for wild salmon decline in the Conne River is irresponsible.”
- With files from Matt Jones
Premium Seafoods suspends investment in Nova Scotia aquaculture due
to regulatory barriers
A Nova Scotia seafood company, Premium Seafoods Group, is ceasing its aquaculture operations due to the provincial government’s delay with matters concerning the industry.
According to a report from the CBC, the company said it is frustrated after no progress has been made with three new oyster aquaculture lease applications they submitted in 2019. The lease applications have not been withdrawn but further investment has been paused.
“It is disheartening that the current process does not provide a realistic pathway for companies and individuals, both established and aspiring, to participate in the industry’s growth,” said Michelle Samson, director of aquaculture operations said in a statement to CBC News.
Jeff Bishop, the Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia’s executive director said the province currently has about twenty-four aquaculture applications under review.
“It’s an unfortunate loss for us here in the sector,” said Bishop, adding that it’s not a unique situation. “People are discouraged by the length of time, and at times the lack of clarity of where their application may sit or what’s next.”
In response to this, the province said it has established a streamlined process for amending existing shellfish aquaculture licenses to add marine plant species. On April 15, Kent Smith, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, announced the creation of Nova Scotia’s first Aquaculture Development Area, in the Municipality of the District of Argyle.
“The designated area will save industry time with pre-approved sites for growing shellfish and marine plants,” the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and
Aquaculture told Aquaculture North America
While this sort of measure would have been very helpful to Premium Seafoods, activists and concerned residents are outraged over what they say is a lack of transparency or fairness in the process.
“I just found out about it last week because somebody posted something on Facebook,” a resident named Dale Pothier told CBC News. “That’s the only way I found out.”
Argyle warden Danny Muise, however, says that the municipality did hold ‘comprehensive’ public engagement, including print and radio ads and information sessions.
The Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture also said it’s developing the Coastal Classification System, an online platform that will share information about sites that may be suitable for aquaculture. The goal is to streamline the licence and lease process for everyone involved, with the new tool to launch in March 2025.
“We are also working to implement the recommendations of the aquaculture regulatory review committee. Progress continues to be made and we have shared updates with the Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Aquaculture Regulatory Advisory Committee,” said spokesperson, JoAnn Alberstat, in an email response to Aquaculture North America
- With files from Matt Jones
Michelle Samson, director of aquaculture operations, Premium Seafoods.
PHOTO: MICHELLE SAMSON, LINKEDIN
PEI oyster farmers still waiting on Hurricane Fiona relief
In 2022, Hurricane Fiona’s impacts rocked Prince Edward Island’s aquaculture industry, causing an estimated C$70 million (US$51 million) in damages. While the province announced that it would be making relief funds available to farmers who were affected, to date only 43 of the total 116 claims by oyster farmers have been processed.
“Certain areas got completely devastated,” said PEI Aquaculture Alliance’s executive director, Peter Warris. “Whole leases were ripped up and swept away.”
Warris said several delays have contributed to the situation. First, there was some discussion over whether aquaculture operations would even qualify under the existing disaster relief program administered by the Canadian Red Cross. Warris himself gave a presentation to a standing committee in Ottawa, arguing that aquaculture should qualify for relief. After it was determined that they would qualify, there was a question of how the claims would be administered – the Red Cross program is designed for small businesses, not specifically aquaculture, so expertise was needed to make those assessments.
“And then we didn’t actually finalize the damage assessment side of things until June of 2023,” said Warris. “We wanted to give growers an opportunity to raise the gear after winter and make sure that they could see where all the damage had happened, especially mortality. That certainly put things back a bit. It would have been great to see more resources put into this from the beginning, or at least once the claims process itself was actually moving forward.”
Asked whether the entire issue was those early delays in the process or if the later stages also seemed slow-moving, Warris stated that his impression was that the process continues to move slowly, though he is more likely to hear from members whose claims are still outstanding.
“As an industry association, we’re not really dealing with the individual claims,” said Warris. “It’s difficult to say. Obviously I’m hearing from members whose claims haven’t been completed, but I’m not hearing from members whose claims have been completed satisfactorily.”
Warris asserts that neither he nor the Alliance are arguing that nothing is being done or that the province is being derelict in their duties. They just want to see anything possible done to expedite the process. They’re not looking to have the criteria that the claims are judged by change or to make any other significant changes to the process. But if there is some possible way to get things moving more quickly – perhaps by temporarily bringing in some other workers or resources to bolster the effort – it should be acted upon swiftly.
“It’s a year and a half since the actual storm itself, and it’s a year pretty much since the damage assessment was completed,” said Warris. “Some of our members are really suffering. We have members who basically have put money out in terms of trying to recover from the storm, with the expectation that there would be some compensation for the damages that they’ve suffered. They took money from other things, or they borrowed money or they went into debt and used credit to get through that. Now, a lot of stuff is obviously having an impact on the financial health of their business.”
The good news, Warris noted, is that he hasn’t heard of any of the Alliance’s members having lost so much that they have completely stepped away from the industry. However, many of them have had to make additional and unexpected investments because of Fiona.
“They’re going to have to invest some of their own money in running new lines,” said Warris. “Especially when it comes to seed losses. The majority of our muscle and oyster seed here on the island is still natural recruitment. So collectors have to be out in order to get seed. So they
would have to run new lines. And all the seed that was lost is next year and the year after’s product. Those sales basically disappeared. So I would imagine a lot of people have invested in order to run new gear because otherwise they don’t have businesses.”
A producer in the PEI oyster industry – who spoke with Aquaculture North America on the condition of anonymity due to fear that putting their name out publicly could impact their relief claim – said that the mood among the oyster sector in the province is tense. Some of the farmers they’ve spoken with have talked about having to lay off employees or even closing their businesses if relief isn’t provided imminently. They said many of these producers have been disgusted watching, from their perspective, the province and the Red Cross each blaming the other without figuring out how to deliver.
“We can’t go any longer,” said the producer. “It’s incredible. People in the last couple of weeks have gone to their federal MPs wondering what is happening? I said to an MLA last week, if you get a puppy and you promise to give that puppy a bone and dangle the bone over his head for two years and don’t give him the bone, he’s going to turn into a mean dog and someone is going to get their f—ing arm bit off. We’re hurting as an industry and the province is losing a lot of money over this.”
Warris noted that the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance has been lobbying for aquaculture to have access to the same support programs as terrestrial agriculture, including a variety of business risk management programs available under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
“If you look down at the United States now, aquaculture is considered agriculture,” said Warris. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture now supports shellfish farmers in the States. I think for the U.S. to do that, and for the Canadian government not to, is a real competitive disadvantage for us, because [we] aren’t getting the support that their farming community have. That’s the kind of programming that we need in order to operate in the environment of potentially further climate-related disasters.”
Representatives for the province did not respond to a request for an interview, but a statement provided to CBC News on behalf of the provincial fisheries department stated that the financial relief program is ‘evidence-based’ and that some claims required more verification than others.
“Each case is different and must be treated with respect to the variety of circumstances, whether that be through external insurance agencies, federal partners, other stakeholders or all of the above,” the statement reads. “It takes time to ensure the applications are complete and the claims are verified. We are working through files as quickly as possible to ensure they can be successful.”
- Matt Jones
Aquaculture truck depot in
B.C.
cancelled due to open-net salmon farm closures
A multi-million-dollar aquaculture truck depot has been cancelled in the town of Campbell River in British Columbia. The depot would have supported rural operations by AquaTrans Distributors Inc., a Delta, B.C.-based specialty refrigeration and bulk commodity transportation carrier.
“We wanted to invest more into the communities in which we work,” said AquaTrans general manager, Ryan Brush. “We thought there was a real opportunity to streamline and formalize a depot that could help do many things, but specifically cleaning, off-farm sanitizing, and it could be a consolidated depot for all of the North islands.”
AquaTrans purchased the land to build the depot in Campbell River but only two months later, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced that it would not renew licenses for 15 open-net salmon farms around B.C.’s Discovery Islands. Those farms would have been crucial clients for the AquaTrans depot.
Brush describes the land – now simply serving as an additional truck yard for their vehicles without any of the planned facilities – as a ‘mass of unrealized potential.’
“This came as such a shock because we had purchased our assets,” said Brush. “Our asset procurement plan met the needs of this specific thing and because we weren’t seasonal, we could deploy them year-round. But what do you do with 100
refrigerator trailers when there’s no requirement for them three to four months out of every year? But then there’s a requirement to use every single one of them for at least three months out of every year. At $110,000 a piece, that’s hard to manage. We figured it out by working hard on different partnerships, but we see that 30-40 percent decline in our business.”
To stave off these types of impacts, Brush and others in aquaculture and aquaculture-related fields in B.C. have called for licences to last for six years – the full length of a salmon grow-out – rather than the two years covered by licence renewals offered by Fisheries Min. Joyce Murray in 2022.
‘IRRESPONSIBLE, UNREALISTIC, AND UNACHIEVABLE’
Industry reacts to DFO’s five-year plan to ban salmon net pens in British Columbia
BY JEAN KO DIN
What’s next for aquaculture in B.C.?
In the wake of a shocking announcement from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the North American industry was set alight with this question and what the future could look like.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, commonly referred to as the DFO or its former name as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, held a press conference on June 19 that confirmed a five-year transitional plan to ban net-pen salmon farming in the coasts of B.C. The announcement was immediately met with ire and frustration from the industry.
Many have since referenced Min. Diane Lebouthillier’s promise for a “responsible, realistic and achievable” approach, saying that the announcement was instead irresponsible, unrealistic and unachievable.
“Thousands of hours have been spent by employees and partners on developing reasonable, realistic and achievable plans to support the federal government’s objectives. None of these are reflected in the announcement before us,” said Tim Kennedy, president and CEO of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA), in a statement.
The transition plan was first leaked by The Globe and Mail on June 17, where the article cited unnamed sources in the government who teased details of the plan. In addition to the five-year renewals for B.C. salmon net pen farms, a senior government official was reported to have said that the government will be allocating C$1.5 billion (almost US$1.1 billion) towards the industry’s transition to land-based operation.
The DFO has yet to confirm this investment amount publicly. The official transition plan is set to be released by the end of July, followed by “coordinated consultations with those directly and indirectly affected by the transition,”
Lebouthillier said at the press conference, as translated from French by a live interpreter.
Economic consequences
Dr. Stefanie Colombo, associate professor and Canada Research Chair in Aquaculture Nutrition at Dalhousie University, was at the annual Aquaculture Canada conference when the announcement was to be made. This year, the conference was hosted at Charlottetown, P.E.I.
“It was definitely a buzz of conversation,” she told Aquaculture North America . “Last year, when it was in Victoria (B.C.), it was much more of a cloud… It was definitely a weird conference. This time, there were more people there from Atlantic Canada than from the West Coast, so we were all just fired up about it.”
Colombo was presenting academic papers she published with colleagues that explored the economic consequences of reduced salmon supply in North America. The study, which was published in the Sustainability journal in April, explored the socioeconomic impact of the Canadian government’s decision to reduce the supply of farm-raised salmon in B.C.
Colombo said farm closures will lead the market to seek alternative suppliers, such as Norway and Chile, diverting about C$1.2 billion (US$875 million) away from B.C.’s local economy. The decrease in Canadian salmon supply will also trigger significant price increases to more than C$30 per kilogram by 2026. Canadian salmon is currently priced at around C$22/kg. Increased salmon imports to North America could also mean increased carbon emissions from shipping and transport.
“I don’t think that any of this type of data was deeply considered as much as the natural science data. And this is just presenting
some more data that should be considered at the next stage,” she said. “DFO science is involved but what about other departments, like the Department of Labour? Were they part of the decision? Things like that.”
According to B.C. Salmon Farmers’ Association, about 6,000 jobs will be affected directly and indirectly by the removal of net pen salmon farming in the province.
Indigenous conflict
Part of the government’s transition plan include issuing nine-year licenses for closed containment projects on land and at sea. First Nations leaders have criticized that this alternative does not consider the infrastructure this technology would demand in their territories.
“Five years to transition to land-based or closed containment in my territory is the same as shutting our operations down,” said Hereditary Chief Hasheukumiss, Richard George, of the Ahousaht Nation Tyee Haw’il. Cermaq Canada has 14 sites in the Ahousaht’s waters.
“In fact, as I know a thing or two about salmon farming due to our decades of working with industry, this is not even logistically possible. Therefore, due to the no consultation on this decision, we will be allowing for a more realistic approach of a 10-year transition in my home.”
Seven coastal tribes were represented during the press conference. Each leader expressed how the DFO decision affirms their right to self-governance in their territories.
Deputy Chief Isaiah Robinson of the Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation said his tribal community has established marine protected areas, and has conducted 20 years of scientific research. They also developed a Kitasoo Xai’xais Innovation Plan which was delivered to Ottawa in February.
“We have done everything right. And now the government is excluding us again,” said Robinson. “Failing to properly consult with First Nation leaders is not responsible. Neglecting the fact that we, as coastal First Nations, lack infrastructure, electricity
needed to run these closed containment systems makes it not achievable.”
The Kitasoo Xai’Xais nation formed a partnership with Mowi in 1998 – the first agreement developed by a salmon farming company and a First Nation in B.C. There are 17 First Nations who currently have agreements with aquaculture companies in the province.
Washington parallel Jamestown Seafood CEO Jim Parsons expressed his empathy and solidarity with the neighbouring industry in the north. In his home state of Washington, the local industry has undergone similar experiences with an anti-aquaculture agenda to ban salmon farming in their region since 2017.
“It’s given the Indigenous people a lot of opportunities for growth and for a better understanding of what aquaculture is all about. And for rich white people to say, ‘No, that’s not appropriate for you.’ I mean, that’s really where Jamestown is, in all this,” said Parsons.
The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe filed a lawsuit against the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Washington Commissioner of Public Lands, Hilary Franz, to challenge the government’s fish farm closure order.
Last October, a superior court judge ruled that the ban has “no legal effect” due to the DNR’s failure for proper public consultation. The court declared that the “ban” on commercial net pens is an internal directive to begin the rule-making process regarding commercial net pens in state aquatic lands.
“We’re working really hard to bring everybody together to have a larger discussion about all of this,” said Maria Smithson, public affairs advisor for the National Aquaculture Alliance (NAA).
“And DNR has used junk science and a lot of angry rhetoric to divide the tribes down here in Washington, and it’s really not okay. And Hillary Franz should be really ashamed for that.”
NAA is hosting a Pacific Northwest Indigenous Aquaculture Summit on Aug. 26-28 in Sequim, Wash. in hopes of bringing tribes and First Nations members to talk about sustainable aquaculture practices, innovations and opportunities.
Closed alternative
Rob Walker had decades of experience exploring closed containment systems before he pursued his latest land-based project, Gold River Aquafarms in Gold River, B.C. Looking at the government’s five-year plan, he is skeptical that these projects can be
approved, built, and operating within the timeframe.
“Much of my career has been developing floating close containment systems. And we’re really familiar with the difficulties in that field,” said Walker, CEO of Gold River Aquafarms.
“It’s really difficult to create systems that are stable enough. The technologies that have been developed for waste treatment are based on land treatment, which doesn’t move. So, you know, putting those onto a barge or whatever, is not that easy.”
Given the many challenges he and his team have faced in their iterations of a floating closed containment system in B.C. waters, Walker concluded that the money required to develop this system would be equivalent to the high capital expenditures that land-based projects also require.
Gold River Aquafarms plans to build a land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) facility in a former sawmill in the town of Gold River, in northern Vancouver Island. Once built, the facility will have the capacity to raise 3,000 tonnes of Steelhead annually. The project’s permitting process with the DFO took more than two years to
complete and is currently, applying for its provincial water permits.
“The Water Sustainability Act, which came in 2016, has put a lot of efforts into preserving water, which is excellent. I’m really happy they’re doing that. But, if you want to use that water, it’s difficult,” said Walker.
Walker said he doesn’t think the government has considered the infrastructure demands of their plans to support these new technologies. B.C. has had drought conditions in much of the province for a long time. As a result, the province, which is run on hydropower is also experiencing a shortage of power.
Even still, Walker believes there is great potential for land-based projects in the province. In fact, during their site studies, he says his team considered many potential locations for their project.
“I think the government has really played on that antagonism, setting one industry against the other and it doesn’t make sense to me. We can grow together,” said Walker. “The traditional industry has gone through tremendous change. They’re incredibly innovative, dedicated to environmental issues. It’s unfair to paint them all with the horrible brush of ecological destroyers. It’s not right.”
Jordan Hawkswell is the director of communications and engagement at the Pacific Seaweed Industry Association. (jordan.hawkswell@seaweedindustry.ca)
Growing like seaweed
Pacific Seaweed Industry Association wants to unlock seaweed’s farming potential
The seaweed industry in British Columbia is drawing a diverse array of farmers and producers due to its significant environmental and economic potential.
Many people are aware of the economic opportunities seaweed farming can offer for coastal communities, creating jobs and fostering local industries without depleting natural resources. For those already tied to the ocean through fishing or other marine-based livelihoods, seaweed farming provides a complementary source of income that utilizes skills and knowledge gained from a variety of marine industries like fishing, transport, and other aquaculture operations.
Kelp farming is also attracting those who are seeking to engage in a sustainable and regenerative practice that is less intensive on the ocean and provides various potential
ecosystem services, such as nutrient absorption and habitat for marine life.
Introducing PSIA
As such, the emerging seaweed industry in B.C. is being driven forward by dedicated individuals and coastal communities deeply connected to the marine and blue economy.
The Pacific Seaweed Industry Association (PSIA), which began in 2020, represents these diverse stakeholders, including innovative farmers and entrepreneurs, scientists, businesses, municipalities, and more, whose livelihoods are intertwined with the ocean. Our members and partners have embraced the potential of seaweed as a sustainable resource in B.C. and across Canada.
Their interest and involvement in the seaweed industry form the foundation of PSIA’s efforts. The B.C. coast has showcased
its prospective role as an incredibly productive seaweed-growing region, resulting in building interest in exploring the potential of seaweed in the context of seafood and beyond in North America.
Our work provides a seaweed-specific lens that helps address industry challenges to support the sector in providing opportunities for economic growth and environmental sustainability in coastal communities. Additionally, we support research, cross-sector industry development, fellow associations, public awareness, and government investment in the industry.
While the association began in B.C., partnerships from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast and several places in between have the PSIA dedicated to advancing and building a national-reaching seaweed sector that allows Canada to take a place in the global seaweed market.
There is an urgency to develop supportive policies at a provincial and federal level to ensure the success of the seaweed industry in Canada.
PHOTO: CASCADIA SEAWEED
Industry challenges
Of course, the growth of a new industry comes with its growing pains and challenges. As many within the aquaculture sector experience, producers must navigate numerous regulatory hurdles to become established and grow in the sector.
Multi-year wait times for tenure approvals, limited seaweed-specific research, and challenging market access pathways are just a few of the barriers that producers face when working to build or grow their operations. Other major impacts to scalable operations are access to hatcheries to ensure reliable seed supply and to appropriate processing facilities to ensure products maintain quality and reach market.
While seaweed certainly sits within the umbrella of aquaculture and has long been treated as shellfish and finfish are on paper, in reality, it has very different parameters and regulatory requirements.
There is an urgency to develop supportive policies at a provincial and federal level to ensure the success of the seaweed industry in Canada. While government agencies have been working to harmonize and streamline the process, it is still challenging for new producers to enter the sector where they face long wait times for tenure approval and limited government support.
With the stark contrast between terrestrial farming and marine farming support in government, it is difficult for farmers to take big risks to grow seaweed in an underdeveloped market.
The PSIA seeks to support industry research and inform government decision-making, including conducting research directly, sitting on panels, and presenting at conferences, to ensure seaweed has a place in policy development.
Our fellow associations, especially the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Association (CAIA), are working diligently to address the critical need for support of marine farming and aquaculture policy development in Canada, which will also bring wide-reaching benefits to the seaweed industry.
Along a different vein, ongoing environmental challenges that will face the sector, such as ocean warming and acidification and the northern migration of marine species, are important to address and develop adaptive strategies for. As such, the PSIA has been working with academia and other NGOs to ensure that continued monitoring, research, and education are at the forefront of this budding industry.
Unlocking potential
As a low-input and fast-growing marine organism, seaweed has great potential across
many sectors from nutritious human foods and pharmaceuticals to cosmetics and biomaterials, fertilizer, and agri-feeds.
Seaweed has been well-established in the cuisines of many cultures across the world for generations. As a nutritious, umami-rich sea vegetable, seaweed is getting a well-deserved time to shine in the North American culinary spotlight.
Further, seaweeds are showing up in cosmetics, bioplastics, industrial fertilizers, and more, showcasing the high potential for seaweed to grow in value across the supply chain. Seaweed can provide a relatively low-input, low-carbon addition to various products, from pet food to textiles, ultimately de-carbonizing multiple supply chains.
Research into the myriad of ways that seaweed benefits ecosystems is ongoing. It is generally understood that seaweed, both wild and farmed, offers ecosystem services, such as providing habitat for fish and other marine species, oxygen production, and carbon sequestration, that can contribute to a healthy coastal ecosystem while also contributing to economic activities.
There is ongoing research into co-growing seaweeds alongside other aquaculture species to leverage these seaweed benefits to the surrounding ecosystem and diversify the output
of farms.
More than anything, seaweed presents an opportunity for coastal communities, often small, remote, and Indigenous communities, to expand the marine economy via sustainable cultivation and harvesting of marine resources. There is a significant potential for innovation and seaweed-based products across various industries and the PSIA seeks to support ongoing innovation in this area.
The PSIA continues to work to solidify our role of uniting industry stakeholders in growing seaweed and supporting seaweed cultivation alongside other aquaculture activities in Canada. Through networking and advocacy, we provide opportunities that can form vital connections to push this industry forward while representing the interests of local, regional, and national rightsholders and stakeholders.
With the right tools, the future of the seaweed industry in B.C., the rest of Canada, and North America is bright. Leveraging informed and intentional outreach and education we will see sustainable growth in the sector. However, there is much work to be done and the sector still requires significant advocacy at the government level and a continued public, private, and government interest in the longterm viability of the seaweed sector.
Match made in IMTA
After a decade, the “how to” of growing species together is in motion in the ocean By Lynn Fantom
Nature knows best, and that means biodiversity. Backed by research, a new series of projects that demonstrate integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) techniques are gaining momentum, even in the face of climate and regulatory issues.
And it’s not just kelp and salmon at industrial-scale sites anymore. “The IMTA concept is extremely flexible,” as kelp-IMTA pioneer Dr. Thierry Chopin of the University
of New Brunswick has said. That includes small-scale and family farms.
Seaweed has emerged as integral at many sites. “We’re all excited to learn about the halo effect of the seaweed farm,” said Dr. Nichole Price, a senior research scientist at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in Maine. Work is underway globally to examine seaweed’s impact on shellfish, as well as finfish, with scientists eager to share knowledge across borders.
Word is spreading among growers and fishers, too. In June, for example, the University of New Hampshire (UNH) offered a comprehensive online course on IMTA based on a model it began exploring in 2013, according to Dr. Michael Chambers, research associate professor at UNH’s School of Marine Science & Ocean Engineering.
Dubbed the “AquaFort,” this novel, small-scale seafood production system was designed to provide a four-season source of
The storm-resistant AquaFort cultivates steelhead trout in 40-foot deep nets. Extractive species prevent the excess nutrients of fish waste from entering the environment.
PHOTO: TIM BRIGGS, NH SEA GRANT
lobster fishing has challenges in the future with the warming of the Gulf of Maine,” Chambers told Aquaculture North America (ANA) recently. Regulations have also been changing fast, he added.
Located just off New Castle, New Hampshire, the AquaFort is a research site for scientists and training platform for fishermen. Plus, Chambers uses it show the public how aquaculture can be done sustainably.
“I always enjoy bringing people out there for the first time,” he said. “When they can feed the fish and you pull up the mussel lines or the kelp droppers, they see the [operation’s] size and how simple it is. Then they’re not so afraid of aquaculture.”
Part of the concept, Chambers continued, is to locate an AquaFort between fishing grounds. “So, say in spring, the lobsterman goes and puts his cages out. As he comes in, he can stop by the AquaFort, feed the fish, harvest some and bring them into the marketplace.” In addition, he can farm kelp in winter, which is off-season for most lobstermen.
Biological curtain
food—and income for growers. Deployed in 2020, it was stocked with steelhead trout surrounded by sugar kelp and blue mussels to prevent the excess nutrients of fish waste from entering the environment.
Small-scale aquaculture
“We’ve been working with fishermen, primarily, to show them that this is an additional skill set they could learn, in case
And, of course, the participating fishermen farming the AquaFort reap the rewards. “Spectacular” is how Chambers describes the flavor of steelhead trout grown in seawater, emphasizing how quickly it has sold at market.
AquaFort has potential annual production capacity of 30,000 pounds of fish and 10,000 pounds of shellfish, according to Sea Grant New Hampshire. (The 2018-2020 work was funded through a research grant from the National Sea Grant College Program.)
The platform designed by the UNH engineers is 53 by 30 feet, about one-third of a basketball court. Fiberglass decks form rectangular walkways around two 40-footdeep net pens containing steelhead trout. Kelp and mussels are suspended from sides of the platform. “We’re creating a biological curtain around the fish to minimize impacts to the environment,” said Chambers.
This year growers added two new highvalue species — green sea urchins and sea scallops—in a bottom condo (or lantern net) underneath the sea pen. They feed kelp to the urchins, which also graze on the condos and keep them clean — another “mutually beneficial relationship,” Chambers said.
“We’ve actually seen seas up to 15 feet at
Sugar kelp (shown here) and blue mussels are suspended from sides of the AquaFort platform, which is about one-third the size of a basketball court.
PHOTO: UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
our site, which is totally exposed from the southeast. Even with two bad storms this year, all the fish, all the mussels, the nets, and the platforms survived,” said Chambers. “We’re quite happy with the engineering that was put into the system.”
In March, Aquaculture published the findings of the scientists’ initial study of this IMTA project. The numbers backed up the theory: The steelhead trout released an estimated 25 kilograms of nitrogen into the environment, while the mussels and kelp together extracted an estimated 42 kilograms for a net reduction of almost 17 kilograms from the ecosystem. “There was no observed negative impact on local water quality at any point during the trial,” the scientists wrote.
To make it all work, Chambers noted that “for every ton of fish we produce, we have to
produce three tons of kelp or mussels or a combination.”
Exporting the AquaFort
The AquaFort project has already expanded beyond New Hampshire to new locations in Maine, Massachusetts, and New York, with new users, including the Wampanoag Nation and the Shinnecock Nation. A third generation Aquafort for the Gulf of Mexico is being built right now. UNH has funding for another one for Saipan, near Guam in the Pacific. Puerto Rico may also be around the corner.
“Everywhere you go, you work with indigenous species, more or less,” added Chambers, as he mentioned that eastern oysters, red drum, spotted seatrout, Atlantic tripletail, and Gracilaria macroalgae slated
for the Gulf of Mexico.
“I’m more excited now than I’ve ever been, and it’s not just about this particular system. It’s about advancing the system for different sites and for different species,” he said, adding that at some point its footprint may expand with additional modules.
Ocean acidification
Nearby in Casco Bay, Maine, Bangs Island Mussels has also been experimenting with IMTA. Going back to 2015, the familyowned company has partnered with Bigelow Laboratory, the Island Institute, and kelp leader Atlantic Sea Farms, among others.
An aquaculture innovator, Bangs Island Mussels conducted trials with sea scallops and finfish. Two years ago, though, co-owner and CEO Matt Moretti told ANA that the
Species grown in the AquaFort—steelhead trout, blue mussels, sugar kelp, sea scallops, and green sea urchins—can complement the income stream of lobstermen and other fishers. PHOTO: UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
farm was zeroing in on a “simpler version” of IMTA — blue mussels and sugar kelp — which it has since scaled. “I do love IMTA,” he said recently.
There’s a lot of science to back up why this passion is warranted. Growing these two species together addresses a key challenge for shellfish aquaculture. As more of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dissolves into the ocean, seawater is becoming more acidic. And, as that happens, shellfish are in trouble: shells thin, growth slows, and deaths rise.
But kelp can help. Last October, an article in the peer-reviewed mega journal, PLOS ONE, detailed indoor lab experiments at Bigelow which compared how well four different species of seagrasses and seaweed did taking up carbon dioxide in seawater. Sugar kelp ( Saccharina latissima ) had the largest impact.
Scientists also learned it continued to do so in simulated future scenarios of climate change, at rates impacted by the water flow around the kelp. (It’s good news that sugar kelp has become the most farmed kelp species in Europe and North America in recent years.)
For three years running, Bigelow has also been doing fieldwork at Bangs Island sites. Scientists have put oceanographic sensors on the back of a small skiff, driving it in concentric circles around the farm.
The goal has been to create a CO2 heat map and see how consistently the seaweed farm raises seawater pH (and decreases acidity) from year to year and how that varies spatially around the farm.
The team recently finished another round of data collection, according to Price. Findings are preliminary but, in general, show consistent reductions in acidity within the area of the farm. The work is being expanded to Alaska and Norway to see if this phenomenon persists at other farms around the world.
But how do these variations in water quality affect mussels?
Bigelow first explored that by replanting Bangs Island mussels within a seaweed farm and at increasing distances from that farm. Researchers logged increased shell thickness for those grown within seaweed farm.
Then, in the lab, they examined dynamics in a two-tank experiment with contemporary water conditions and a future warmer,
more acidic ocean. Blue mussels were grown with and without sugar kelp. One highlight among the findings provided a clear indication of how co-cultivation improves mussel fitness: shell thickness for juvenile mussels increased two to six percent in both present and future conditions.
As Briana Warner, CEO of Atlantic Sea Farms, said, “This, in addition to the job that superfood seaweed is already doing to remove carbon and nitrogen from the water column without any need for farming inputs, makes farming kelp and mussels together incredibly compelling.”
Another line of inquiry for which Bigelow has new funding: does mussel waste fertilize kelp?
Kelp can help shellfish. Nitrogen from fish may help kelp. Co-cultivation is helping to keep the environment clean as IMTA takes hold. Those are the dynamics scientists will continue to study to forge the way for a brave new world in aquaculture.
Price summed it up: “Basically, it comes down to climate-responsible generation of nutritional food in an increasingly food-insecure world… in a way that diversifies fisheries options for the working waterfront.”
HEALTHY GREENS
How novel processing techniques are setting the stage for expanded use of plant protein in aquafeed
BY TREENA HEIN
There’s a strong need to continue the expansion of plant-based protein in aquafeed, especially for carnivorous species like salmon, but a growing number of out-of-the-box approaches are spurring this movement forward.
“The main constraint to getting more plant protein into aquafeeds is cost-effective supply,” says Dr. Brett Glencross, technical director at the Marine Ingredients Organisation (IFFO). “That has two elements to it, the cost of the production of the crop and the other the protein content of the product and how to cost-effectively enrich that.”
Glencross explains that most crop products are too low in protein to be used without some form of processing. The expense of processing for the lower-value/higher-volume needs of the feed sector, however, can be offset with development of co-processing methods that deliver high-value ancillary products, like ethanol or food products.
Glencross adds, “there have been some interesting innovations in this area in recent years with bioethanol production systems.”
Green Plains, for example, has introduced ‘Ultra-High Protein,’ a corn ingredient with more than 50 percent protein and high digestibility for aquaculture and pet food. It’s made using Fluid Quip Technologies’ patented Maximized Stillage Co-products processing system.
Water-based canola processing
After four years of pioneering research development, the Calgary, Alberta-based, Botaneco, has achieved the creation of a canola concentrate that’s 75 percent protein. Alofin is at the pre-commercial stage with production planned to begin in Canada within the next two years.
“Achieving about 75 percent plant protein concentration has never been done in canola before,” says David Dzisiak, Botaneco’s Chief Operating Officer. “That’s higher than most other plant proteins and actually higher than leading animal proteins as well. Our processing method is also very scalable and efficient, so that means large amounts of canola can be processed. It’s a water-based process that’s very different and removes fiber and anti-nutritional factors at the same time. We don’t use heat or solvents.”
The end results are excellent feed intake, digestibility and growth rates in salmon and shrimp says Dzisiak. Trials in both have has success with inclusion rates of up to 30 percent.
The future Botaneco plant in Canada will supply salmon farms in North America and Chile, and another plant planned in Europe will process canola being grown there, again for salmon markets. A plant in the Asia-Pacific for shrimp is also foreseen, which will
process canola from Canada or Australia.
“Developing new and innovative processes is very important if we want to grow the use of plant-based protein in aquaculture,” says Dzisiak. “Without our thinking outside the box, canola meal would have remained very underutilized in aquafeed. And our process is so efficient and scalable that we can deliver a price for Alofin that’s well below fishmeal prices, and also, well below insect and single-cell protein prices.”
Juicing alfalfa
Another example of out-of-the-box thinking comes from scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and University of Minnesota (UM). Over recent year, they’ve developed alfalfa protein concentrate (APC), which team member Dr. Deborah Samac says “is promising for a range of fish species due to its protein quality, amino acid content, and low amount of anti-nutrients.” Samac is a research leader at the USDA Agricultural Research Service in St. Paul, MN.
APC is also a rich assortment of vitamins, including A, B and D, as well as minerals such as magnesium and copper. The process to make it involves passing alfalfa leaves through a screw press, drying the juice and processing it into pellets with other ingredients. UM scientists published results
raceways and compared to trout fed a standard fishmeal diet. The fish were fed from juvenile stage through harvest, a period of 18-24 months depending on time of year, water conditions, the farm, etc. Growth, appearance and taste were identical to trout in the adjacent raceways fed the conventional fishmeal-based diet.”
Challenges to plant-based
in 2021, with APC derived from fresh alfalfa foliage of about 52 percent protein.
USDA and UM trials feeding APC to yellow perch have been going on since 2020. One study with 180 g/kg APC replacing all fishmeal in a formulated diet found that fish growth rate was a bit slower and feed conversion ratio was higher (+0.32 g feed/g growth) than fish on the control diet containing fishmeal. Further studies are currently in the process of publication.
Barley
Scoular has created Emerge, a barley protein concentrate produced at the company’s facility in Jerome, Idaho, the state with the most barley production. The company states that “Emerge uses a proprietary, patented process which protects the protein from heat damage and removes fiber, allowing the naturally-occurring phosphorus to be highly bioavailable.”
Riverence LLC conducted a commercial trial at two of the company’s trout fish farms in Idaho.
“Emerge barley protein concentrate was used at a 30 percent inclusion rate in diets of 375,000 fish in alternative commercial
In a new report ‘Emerging Protein-Rich Ingredients For Aquaculture Report 2024’ Hatch Innovation Services of Norway exam ines grass, barley, corn, canola and more. More innovation is needed, say the authors, with new ways of improving protein extrac tion and reducing anti-nutritional factors, as well as repurposing of older commercial processes for new ingredient production.
Indeed, getting new production processes up and running is not easy. “Setting up fa cilities to mass produce a single ingredient of consistent quality and quantity requires time, expertise and capital to overcome chal lenging engineering and biological hurdles,” state the report’s authors. “Especially for novel ingredients where production process es were not well understood or explored, the pioneer takes an unknown risk. Emerging ingredients thus need to undergo rigorous in-house testing and long trial periods and meet consistent production volumes and nutritional values before they are seriously considered for significant inclusion in aquafeed formulation.”
can be matched with the strengths of others. “Many grains have the advantage of well-established low-cost production systems,” says Glencross. “This allows production of large volumes of products, which can in many cases and using existing processing capacity, produce significant volumes of protein.”
While there is large-scale production of wheat and corn ingredients from bioethanol production, Glencross says the scale is not quite there yet with other plant protein aquafeed ingredients from sources like grass or alfalfa, but other crops like lupins, horse beans and other pulses are already widely understood and fit into many formulations.
“Again, it is the scale of production and establishment of low-cost (or cost-offset) processing that brings opportunity here,” Glencross explains. “All these products have a strength, or potential strength, of low-cost supply of energy and nutrients. However, they do bring some anti-nutritional factors (which need to be managed), and palatability is neutral at best, otherwise, it is a weakness that needs to be offset with some ingredients with positive palatability elements, like marine ingredients (like fishmeal and fish oil).”
Glencross and a team of world-renowned fish nutritionists have also just published a scientific review ging protein sources for aquafeed. Among other proteins, they looked at cereal, oilseed and pulse crops in raw or processed forms. Their assessment demonstrates that every protein has strengths and weaknesses – but in many cases, the weaknesses of one ingredient
Yellow perch feed pellets with alfalfa nutrient
PHOTO:USDA-ARS PLANT SCIENCE RESEARCH UNIT
Alfalfa used for making nutrient concentrate, PHOTO: USDA-ARS PLANT SCIENCE RESEARCH UNIT
HAPPY FISH HAPPY FARM
How aquaculture is looking out for the health and welfare of aquatic species
BY MARI-LEN DE GUZMAN
When it comes to aquaculture, all fish are created equal – at least, as far as fish welfare is concerned.
The idea that fish are sentient animals, able to experience both positive and negative sensations or feelings, may be a relatively novel —and somewhat controversial — concept. The earlier school of thought around sentient animals were predominantly focused on terrestrial farmed animals. But with the exponential growth of aquaculture over the last few decades, producers have begun incorporating fish welfare into their production processes, with welfare indicators that not only focus on diseases but also things like stress and density, and generally keeping the fish happy.
Scientists have also begun investigating sentience in aquatic animals, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of how aquatic animals behave and “feel” in closed containment systems.
A 2022 study published in the National Library of Medicine conducted a review of available scientific literature found 470 references and 349 articles published between 1990 and
2020 highlighting evidence of fish sentience.
“It’s been demonstrated that a lot of animals are sentient, they have the ability to experience these positive and negative feelings. That certainly includes fish and even includes some crustaceans and some invertebrates,” explains Dr. Jimmy Turnbull, professor of aquatic animal health and welfare at the Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, during an interview with the ANA podcast series Salmon Farming: Inside & Out.
“This leads on to the whole argument where we’re no longer trying to prevent cruelty (to animals). We’re now trying to give the animals that are under our care a good life or positive experiences,” Turnbull added.
Despite the controversy and lack of sufficient knowledge around fish welfare, there is a seeming consensus in the aquaculture industry that fish welfare should be an integral part of every fish farming operation.
“The industry is constantly trying to evolve,” says Dr. Spencer Russell, associate professor in the department of fisheries and aquaculture at Vancouver Island University (VIU) in Nanaimo, B.C. “We’re getting a (handle on) some of the
diseases with vaccinations. But then we are starting to think about how we are producing our fish, how we’re handling our fish, and what stresses our fish out and what doesn’t. We’re continually evolving, and I think agriculture is a great industry because we’re always trying to be in the forefront of that.”
Global organizations, for instance, have embarked on initiatives aimed at instituting frameworks, guidelines and policies to improve the welfare and health of farmed fish. In 2019, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) launched the Fish Welfare project, a wide-ranging, multi-year process to expand ASC’s existing standards on fish health and welfare to provide more comprehensive best practice indicators of fish welfare across a variety of species.
The ASC has since been conducting stakeholder consultations in areas like water quality, fish handling, slaughter and species-specific welfare indicators.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 2019 published, Welfare of Fishes in Aquaculture, providing insights from the European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Commission on how fish
There is a seeming consensus in the aquaculture industry that fish welfare should be an integral part of every fish farming operation.
welfare can be integrated into fish farming.
Welfare education
Future aquaculture professionals are also gaining more knowledge and understanding of the various aspects and indicators of fish welfare and health within their aquaculture courses and programs.
“Fish health and fish welfare are hand-inhand. Fish welfare issues include diseases and the health of the fish.” says Russell, who had spent 10 years as a veterinary pathologist and member of the fish pathology laboratory of the Ontario Veterinary College before moving to VIU.
Russell teaches fisheries management, fish health, as well as finfish, shellfish and crustacean health. Teaching fish welfare involves every aspect of fish production from egg to slaughter, with welfare and health as the underlying aspect. This includes handling food, anesthetics, medicated feed, tagging and slaughter.
“At the end of the day, you need to think about the health of the fish throughout that whole time. And stress plays a big part in fish
health. It’s related to diseases, related to handling, using anesthetics, treating water quality; all those things are all interlinked. And that’s how I teach my courses. Everything has an underlying idea of making sure that fish is as happy as possible at every stage of production,” Russell says.
His students also study the principles, guidelines and policies of the Canadian Council on Animal Care, a governing body in Canada that provides oversight on the use of animals in research and teaching.
As new evidence emerges and more fish welfare indicators and best practices are developed, continuing education in this area is also becoming of increasing interest for current aquaculture professionals.
The Conservation Fund’s Freshwater Institute (FWI), based in Arlington, Va. offers a four-day course on recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) that not only covers the technical aspects of RAS production but also fish welfare, such as fish health and biosecurity, oxygenation, carbon dioxide control, and water quality.
This course has been around for nearly three decades but the demographic of participants have evolved in recent years, says Christopher Good, director of research at FWI. In the early days, many of those taking the course were hatchery personnel and engineers. Today, the course has been increasingly attracting veterinarians, Good says.
Recognizing this changing demographic, the FWI is in the process of updating its RAS course material to better reflect the needs of its participants, says Good, which will provide more focus on fish welfare based on the research that have been done at FWI.
RAS or land-based aquaculture systems present a different set of challenges and criteria when it comes to ensuring fish welfare and health. Questions around photoperiod, fish density, swimming conditions and others come up during the course of the training program.
“I do think the welfare considerations we have are quite different from the traditional approach of open net pens,” Good says. “In terms of welfare considerations, there’s very different criteria. You simply wouldn’t want to raise salmon, for example, at densities that we can in the net pen; it just wouldn’t work. We have that much more control over the (RAS) environment, so we can raise fish at densities that just wouldn’t work in a traditional setting.”
Experimental fish
As FWI regularly conducts trials to investigate a variety of conditions associated with RAS production, the institute’s personnel are required to go through a training program,
called Experimental Fish, run by the University of Prince Edward Island’s Atlantic Veterinary College, which covers fish health and welfare in research environments. This online training program was designed in accordance with the requirements of the Canadian Council on Animal Care, American Association of Laboratory Animal Science, Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, and Animal Welfare Committee of the American Veterinary Medicine Association.
Experimental Fish provides participants with an overview of the regulatory and ethical issues involved in experimental animal care and the practical aspects of aquatic animal care. Experimental Fish is designed for individuals and organizations that use finfish in research, teaching, and testing applications, the UPEI website explains.
“It lays down the basics of what (FWI staff) need to do in order to be responsible, as they’re being husbandry caregivers of fish,” Good says. Fish welfare is always a component of every experiment and trial undertaken at FWI, with some of the indicators including fin condition, cataracts, skin lesions and other deformities. The institute has an institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC), which reviews research protocols before they commence to ensure they are in line with the institute’s standard operating procedures for the care and use of research animals.
U.S. regulations require that federally funded institutions that use certain animals for research must have an IACUC, which reviews research protocols and evaluates the institution’s animal care and use in scientific studies.
“So all of our protocols have to be reviewed from a welfare point of view, and have to be approved by this committee before we can carry them out,” Good says.
Although some would suggest the jury is still out on whether all fish — or certain species of fish — are sentient beings, all indications point to an aquaculture industry that has been operating under the assumption that fish are capable of feeling pain and suffering. Anyone who has a fish tank at home would observe some of these indications, says VIU’s Russell — running away when someone approaches the tank, for example, a kind of stress indicator in a fight-or-flight response associated with sentient animals.
For Good, regardless of the evidence or lack thereof, viewing aquatic species as sentient beings is the right thing to do.
“I really do take the approach that you might as well assume that they are sentient. You’re not going to lose. It’s just going to benefit you and your program, and public perception,” Good says.
INDUSTRY REACTS TO DFO NET PEN DECISION
Since the Canadian government announced that it’d be issuing nineyear licenses for closed containment projects on land and sea as part of its transition plan to ban open-net salmon farming, aquaculture associations have released statements expressing their displeasure with the new development. Here are some of those statements.
Aquaculture Association of Canada
“This decision has put in jeopardy a national food-producing industry with significant economic value to Canadians, including many coastal, rural, and Indigenous communities,” Tiago Hori, president of the Aquaculture Association of Canada.
“For the betterment of all Canadians, the AAC urges the Federal Government and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada to uphold their commitment to unbiased, evidence-based policymaking. We implore you to consider the body of scientific evidence on sustainable salmon aquaculture, including risk assessments conducted by leading Canadian scientists when making decisions about the future of the aquaculture industry in British Columbia,” Hori said.
Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association
“At a time when the world is urgently seeking out climate-friendly, sustainable solutions to food production, farmed salmon shines as one of the most energy efficient farmed animals that is produced with a minimal environmental impact. The United Nations has identified ocean farming as one of the top five ways to address climate change.
Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming sector will continue to rely on science to evolve so that that we can continue to play our vital role in food security, battling climate change and bringing jobs and prosperity to our communities,” Susan Farquharson, executive director, Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association.
BC Agriculture Council (BCAC)
“While this announcement was meant to provide a “responsible, realistic, and achievable” way forward, as the federal government had promised, we believe that any responsible plan must include measures to protect food affordability and security, jobs, and the health of families and communities, including Indigenous Peoples who have a right to choose to have salmon farming in their traditional territories,” said BCAC president, Jennifer Woike.
“Small coastal communities have borne the brunt of these job reductions, and they can ill afford to see further employment opportunities lost because of the short-term renewal of salmon licenses. Many thousands of jobs in remote and Indigenous communities in B.C. rely upon a strong salmon sector and a predictable environment for investment,” said BCAC executive director, Danielle Synotte.
BC Salmon Farmers Association
“We have worked tirelessly over the past few years and have submitted thousands of pages of documents to the federal government to show our commitment to this process. We remain dedicated to advocating for the long-term
viability of the salmon farming sector in British Columbia. We hope to find solutions that balance economic development, environmental sustainability, and social well-being,” said Kingzett, executive director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association
Akva Group
“AKVA group’s British Columbia division has been a vital contributor to the Canadian division’s success, driving innovation and maintaining our competitive edge in a challenging market. These decisions will have many impacts across the country and not just in British Columbia and present several challenges that threaten to undermine our progress and operational viability. This is a very short-sighted decision and flies directly against the development of a blue economy and Canada’s ability to help feed a growing worldwide population,” said Wade Kaskiw, finance manager of Akva Group.
Skretting
“This decision will signal continued industry stagnation and uncertainty, resulting in a continued lack of investor confidence in our B.C. aquaculture sector. The result is reduced investment in innovation, ultimately forcing us to look for growth and investment opportunities in other progressive aquaculture sectors,” said Trevor Stanley, managing director of Skretting North America.
Wayne Long
“As a party of reconciliation, we are imposing an impossible timeline on coastal First Nations communities who choose to have salmon aquaculture to determine a realistic and responsible path for their economic
futures. To insinuate that it’s only a West coast issue is false. It absolutely impacts Atlantic Canada’s aquaculture industry and those who would invest in its growth. It will impact coastal communities along our Atlantic coast too. Our lack of commitment to salmon aquaculture is on full display to the world,” said Wayne Long, MP for Saint John-Rothesay.
Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA)
“The objective is irresponsible because it threatens 5,000 highly paid and skilled jobs in coastal British Columbia (the youngest agri-food workforce in Canada and 500 of these jobs held by Indigenous people) during a time of economic stagnation. These jobs were considered “essential” to Canada only a few years ago. It also threatens the very investment and operations infrastructure built up over 45 years of production that will provide the foundation on which to successfully build and attract new aquaculture technologies,” said CAIA president & CEO, Timothy Kennedy.
“The objective is unrealistic because
transferring the sector to closed containment by 2029 is logistically impossible. The objective is unreasonable because there is no scientific basis to this decision. The science at most calls for incremental protections for wild salmon in certain areas. The industry is committed to achieving incremental protections through new technologies. The objective is unachievable because it threatens to destroy economic value, an enhanced innovation pathway, jobs and high-quality Canadian food production,” Kennedy said.
Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA)
“The limited license duration increases uncertainty, threatening the stability of the agricultural sector and the communities that depend on it,” said Keith Currie, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.
“The CFA urges the federal government to reconsider its approach and ensure decisions are grounded in robust scientific evidence, promoting long-term stability and growth for the sector,” a statement from the CFA reads.
Young Salmon Farmers of BC
“It’s obvious the current government does not care about supporting wild Pacific salmon or young Canadians. Politics will always trump the well-being of Canadians and the environment, and we as young people are tired of this juvenile behaviour from a willfully ignorant government,” said Michelle Franze, co-founder and co-director of the Young Salmon Farmers of BC.
“We have been the ones who have directly euthanized fish, wasting millions of meals for Canadians and have torn apart ocean pens with our hands after the closures in the Discovery Islands, and now to be told we will have to relive the trauma so the Government can feel good about an election is unacceptable,” Franze added.
“Many of us have recently bought houses and are starting families, and now we have no idea what our future holds or if we will be able to stay in the rural, remote communities that we call home because there is no other employment,” said Sam Tomkinson, co-director of the Young Salmon Farmers of BC.
HOSTED BY Ian Roberts, Director of Communications at MOWI Canada, Scotland, Ireland
Presented by Sponsored by
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Sheila and Tom Chairvolotti reside in New England, where Tom oversees Connecticut’s fish hatcheries and fish health programs. With Tom’s extensive background in aquaculture and Sheila’s passion for surveys, data analytics, and youth development, they embarked on an independent research project. This endeavour aims to provide aspiring aquaculture professionals and their mentors with valuable insights on preparing for a career in the field of aquaculture.
HIRING FOR THE BLUE FUTURE
A survey on hiring practices within North American aquaculture.
BY SHEILA CHAIRVOLOTTI AND THOMAS CHAIRVOLOTTI
Individuals seeking to enter the field of aquaculture are often given varying advice about the training and skills which are needed to obtain a job in aquaculture. Within the field of aquaculture there are many career opportunities, including jobs from the level of seasonal employment through program administration. Many hatchery managers and aquaculture company owners are asked to share with students and prospective employees at career fairs or other events to explain how best to prepare for a career in aquaculture. In this advisory capacity, aquaculture personnel often relay their own career path or the hiring standards of the organization that they represent.
To provide a broader view of hiring practices across the field of aquaculture in North America, a study was conducted to benefit both those sharing advice and those seeking advice. Although the results do not claim to be representative of the entire aquaculture profession, they do provide a clear snapshot of practices across the continent. (Note: “aquaculture” in this study includes freshwater and marine cultures of finfish, shellfish, and algae.)
A survey tool was created, consisting of seven simple questions that aggregated employment classifications into five levels, from the seasonal worker to the program administrator. For each level, respondents shared the minimum education required
of applicants. Additionally, a free-form question allowed respondents to share helpful advice for those desiring to enter the aquaculture field.
Participation in this survey was voluntary. The desire was to receive survey responses from every state in the United States and every province in Canada. Email addresses were obtained by searching online resources such as state and provincial natural resource departments, aquaculture organizations’ listings, private aquaculture websites, and more.
Between February 2023 and August 2023, emails requesting involvement were sent along with the link to the survey. In the case that an organization’s privacy
policies precluded clicking on external links, the questions were also sent in the body of an email at one stage of the study. Emails were sent to request participation one initial time, with two follow-up emails sent to non-respondents.
Requests for responses were sent to human resource departments, hiring managers, hatchery managers, and company
emails. Other organizations, such as the Fish Culture Section of the American Fisheries Society, the British Columbia Shellfish Growers’ Association, and others, sent the survey link to their membership with encouragement to their members to respond. Individual emails requesting participation were sent to 874 email addresses; online contact forms were also utilized to request survey participation; the survey link was disseminated by several aquaculture organizations.
A total of 196 responses were received. Of those 196 responses, 142 were from representatives of public aquaculture facilities and 54 were from private facilities (Figure 1). At least one response was received from each of the fifty states of the United States and from seven Canadian provinces, with representation from finfish, shellfish, and algae culture as well as peripheral aquaculture support facilities (Figure 2).
The primary question of the survey asked, “When you are hiring aquaculture/fish hatchery employees, what is the minimum education that you require of applicants?” The options for responses were as follows:
• No Educational Requirements
• High School Diploma
• Some College
• Associate’s Degree/Two-Year College Degree
• Bachelor’s Degree/Four-Year College Degree
• More Than Four Years of College
• N/A
• Prefer Not to Answer
Annual Cold Harvest Conference and Trade Show. Cold Harvest is a premier Canadian aquaculture conference, focused on promoting and developing the business of aquaculture for the prosperity of our sector and our communities. It brings farm management and service sector professionals together to build their knowledge and foster new business connections. The conference offers exciting and informative discussions related to aquaculture and its potential in our province. With world class keynote speakers and guests, and themed sessions related to aquaculture innovation, technology, science and service sector advancements, this event should not be missed.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT
Dr. George Chamberlain started his career as a researcher, instructor, and Extension Aquaculture Specialist at Texas A&M University. He went on to direct aquaculture programs at Ralston Purina International and Monsanto. He founded and managed several shrimp breeding, nutrition, and farming companies operating in Malaysia, Brunei, and Hawaii. Chamberlain served as a Board member and President of the World Aquaculture Society and later helped found both the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) and The Center for Responsible Seafood (TCRS). He served for 25 years as President of GSA and now leads TCRS.
Figure 1: Type of Facility Represented by Respondents
Figure 1. Of the 196 responses, 142 were from representatives of public aquaculture facilities and 54 were from private facilities. CREDIT: SHEILA AND THOMAS CHAIRVOLOTTI
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Respondents were asked to evaluate their hiring practices of varying aquaculture positions:
The results from this survey revealed that requirements do vary by job position.
Seasonal employees are generally hired with either no educational requirement (37%) or only a high school diploma (39%). A large majority of technicians are hired with a high school diploma only (41%), although a significant percentage of employers require either an associate’s degree (18%) or a bachelor’s degree (25%). Aquaculture employers hiring assistant managers, managers, and program administrators primarily require a bachelor’s degree (66%). Figure 3 illustrates these hiring patterns.
When the data were compared on the level of public versus private facilities, the preferences of both sectors were similar, with a little more variation within the private facilities. For instance, whereas the public facilities had more distinct majorities (for instance, 66% of them required a bachelor’s degree for an assistant manager position), the private facilities had several which were in similar value ranges (27% of
Top ten skills or experiences mentioned by respondents
1. Hands-on experience
2. Volunteer experiences with aquaculture/ fish farms
3. Internships with aquaculture-related facilities
4. Carpentry skills
5. Electrical/wiring skills
6. Mechanical skills
7. Plumbing skills
8. Experience operating tractors, trucks, farm equipment, heavy duty equipment
9. Good work ethic
10. Mantenance/repair skills
them required a bachelor’s degree, 25% of them required some college, and 22% required an associate’s degree for the assistant manager position.) (See Table 1).
Despite the variations, in every position except seasonal, the private and the public had similar responses, with the highest percentages of respondents reporting no educational requirement for seasonal employees at private facilities and a high school diploma only at public facilities; high school diploma only for technicians; and a bachelor’s degree required for assistant managers, managers, and program
administrators.
Another feature that this study uncovered was a robust list of “other” recommendations from hiring respondents, listing different skills and experiences that make an applicant stand out within the hiring pool. The list of responses was combined and tabulated, with several responses appearing multiple times. Nearly 41% of the responses suggested that having aquaculture experience, whether it be from previous employment, internships, or volunteering, was extremely helpful in enhancing an applicant’s desirability.
The list of other skills that employers are seeking is dominated by experience – work experience in aquaculture, volunteer participation with fish hatcheries or farms, and internships with fish-related positions. Other skills most often noted by respondents include many trade skills, a good work ethic, and a willingness to work hard despite adverse environmental conditions.
Skills such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, problem-solving, using machinery, and more will often increase a candidate’s value in the eyes of those doing the hiring.
In summary, those seeking employment in the aquaculture industry may benefit from earning a four-year college degree, learning trade skills, and developing an excellent work ethic.
Table 1. Levels of education required for applicants in certain job classes compared between the public and private sectors.
CREDIT: SHEILA AND THOMAS CHAIRVOLOTTI
SEPT. 5, 2024
SAVE THE DATE
Every year, we host an event to spotlight inspiring women who are leading the fish farming industry.
11:00 AM – 11:50 AM Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE)
12:00 PM – 12:50 PM
Indigenous leaders in aquaculture
1:00 PM – 1:50 PM Women in Caribbean Aquaculture (WiCA)
Garware introduces ecofriendly ropes for aquaculture
Garware Technical Fibres has created Renew Ropes, which they say is the first rope made from 100 percent recycled materials to reduce carbon footprint by 50 percent.
The company recently developed this product because of the need for more sustainability, while maintaining its quality standard. Garware said the ropes can be used in maritime, sports, fishing and aquaculture and are available in three and eight strands.
“The introduction of 100 percent recycled ends shows our commitment to the Clean Production Agreement (CPA), circularity and the reduction of plastic waste, contributing to sustainability throughout the life cycle of the products. In addition, it has exhaustive quality control of its raw materials: 100 percent reprocessed copolymers so that it meets the required quality,” said Marcos Jofré, business associate at Garware Technical Fibres Chile.
“By manufacturing Renew Ropes with 100 percent recycled material, we ensure
that the waste is used in a final application, along with reducing the need to produce new material, and this rope can also be used again. recycle. The Norwegian market is already being supplied with a good reception and we hope that Chile follows this trend,” said Jofré.
The company also has another type of rope, X2 AQUA NEO. It’s said to have high resistance at a smaller diameter, low elongation, and is lighter. “The quality of the fibre is such that with smaller diameters, it manages to deliver higher resistance than other anchor ropes...In addition, it is quick to handle, with lower installation costs and also
in anchoring items, easy to splice, it reduces the load on the anchoring system, due to its lower drag and weight,” said Jofré.
Both ropes have Norwegian Standard 9415 (NS9415) certifications. Since aquaculture uses a large volume of ropes, these ropes are important, Garware stated in a press release.
University of Stirling professors release book on aquatic food security
A new book titled, Aquatic Food Security has been released.
The book explores both strengths and weaknesses within the existing aquatic food supply chain and was edited by the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture professors, Margaret Crumlish and Rachel Norman. It covers topics such as the role of intensification in global aquaculture production, the importance of nutrition and selective breeding, diseases and public health considerations, the role of markets and processing and retail sectors and quality issues in our global seafood.
“This book explores the contribution of
UNDERSTANDING AQUACULTURE
Aquaculture is critical to food security, both now and in the future, and an informed and supportive public is needed to ensure its potential is fully realised.
UnderstandingAquaculture is an introductory guide to Aquaculture, ideal for those studying fisheries, aquaculture, natural resources management, environmental policy and food science, as well as the interested general public. It addresses the common questions associated with aquaculture, such as: Are farmed fish safe to eat? Are wild fish more nutritious? Do fish farms pollute the environment? Is farmed salmon full of antibiotics?
$95.00 | Item #1789180114
seafood to global food security. Our approach is inclusive of all seafood: capture fisheries and farmed food. Numerous factors influence aquatic food consumption and production, including product availability, political stability, economic viability and growth, not to mention the cultural and ethical beliefs of consumers. However, the primary driver that inspired this book was the rapid expansion of the global seafood sector and the scientific and commercial development supporting aquatic food security as we currently understand it and we therefore explore different aspects of this in a global context,” Norman said.
The book will support any course on aquaculture, sustainable seafood production and food security. It’ll also benefit people who are working commercially in aquaculture and NGOs interested in food security and food production.
The authors are globally distributed, and all chapters take a global view.
FishWise and GDST join forces to boost seafood traceability
FishWise, a U.S.-based sustainable seafood consultancy, and the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST), a platform for digital traceability in seafood, have partnered up to promote the adoption of traceability best practices in seafood supply chains.
This collaboration aims to promote the implementation of interoperable, digitized traceability systems and the adoption of the GDST standard across public and private sectors. This collaboration could empower regulators and governments to support more
standardized, transparent, and responsible seafood supply chains.
The GDST is considered the “gold standard” in seafood traceability and works to expand the adoption of the standard and evolve it through a multi-stakeholder dialogue process. FishWise implements traceability best practices by verifying data, assessing risks, and developing due diligence programs with seafood businesses, governments, and NGOs worldwide.
“Our new partnership with FishWise will allow us to make advances in the adoption and evolution of the standard,” said Greg Brown, executive director of GDST. “FishWise’s deep involvement with its partners plus its collaborative and consultative approach with multiple stakeholders coupled with the GDST’s Standard and technical resources will bring traceability into many conversations and assist the industry and regulators in meaningfully adopting digital interoperable traceability in seafood.”
The partners also recognize that both the private sector and governments have work to do to adopt and encourage traceability best practices.
“Standardizing data formats in both the public and private sector, and making electronic information sharing more seamless between traceability systems is crucial. Not only for meeting companies’ responsible seafood programs but also regulatory compliance and better governance,” said Sara Lewis, director of programs at FishWise, “Therefore, the collaboration will also explore the connections between GDST adoption and regulatory compliance, in pursuit of greater uptake of the standards through government engagement.”
OYSTER GRADING TECHNOLOGY
SED Vision Grader
SED Water Grader for
Growing together online
Virginia Sea Grant launches the USDA and NOAA-supported Aquaculture Information Exchange Community
Imagine an online space crafted for the aquaculture community, where every interaction is meaningful and tailored to your professional interests. That’s the goal of the Aquaculture Information Exchange (AIE), an innovative social networking platform reshaping how aquaculture professionals across the United States and beyond connect, communicate, and collaborate.
I’m Joe Caterine, the community manager of the AIE, and I’m excited to share how our website is becoming the online home of the U.S. aquaculture sector. Launched last October, with funding from a NOAA/USDA grant and developed by Virginia Sea Grant, the AIE has quickly grown to over 1,000 members, creating a vibrant, diverse, and thriving online community.
The AIE is more than just a website; it is a dynamic meeting place where growers, hatchery operators, students, researchers, government personnel, nonprofit staff, environmental consultants, educators, and more come together to tackle common challenges, share resources, and build ties.
One of the most inspiring things about the AIE is its budding culture of collaborative problem-solving. When a member posted an image of a mystery protist they found in an oyster gill, an expert on our site offered help identifying it. When a new farmer sought guidance on insurance options, seasoned veterans stepped in with guidance. Another member looking for technology recommendations for fieldwork found practical solutions from peers. It is this cross-sector cooperation that makes the AIE such an exciting platform.
What sets the AIE apart is its focus on aquaculture-specific content without the distractions found on other social networks. As you scroll through our activity feed, you’ll find industry announcements, educational videos on recirculating aquaculture systems, discussions on innovative approaches to aquaculture education, and more. One member aptly described it as “like LinkedIn but without the noise.”
The AIE provides numerous opportunities for professional growth and community engagement. Whether you work with sea urchins or are looking to improve your social media skills, there are dedicated groups and
resources to support you. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, it’s easy to start your own group.
Beyond group interactions, other features offer opportunities for career advancement. Our job board is filled with aquaculture openings across the country, making it easier than ever to take the next step in your professional journey. Likewise, our event calendar is stacked with webinars and conferences that can be your gateway to new parts of the industry.
The AIE’s impact extends beyond just professional networking. It also plays a vital role in fostering a sense of community and mutual support among the aquaculture sector at large. Following Aquaculture America in San Antonio this year, members posted photos in a discussion thread and shared their favorite parts about the conference, such as the Women in Aquaculture session, the workforce development panel, and the NOAA Science Innovations showcase. It’s our hope that conversations which begin at conferences continue on the Exchange.
Another notable feature of the AIE is its commitment to education and continuous learning. We recently started offering online courses designed to keep our members up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices. In the future, we plan to offer actual professional certifications that members can qualify for through completing modules on our website.
In our “State Marine Aquaculture Policy Dashboard Walkthrough” course, National Sea Grant Law Center Director Stephanie Otts walks users through how to explore that online tool which offers interactive and visual representations of marine aquaculture policy data collected for all 23 coastal states. She explains how to apply dynamic filters to look at multiple policy attributes across all states, taking a deep dive into specific categories of aquaculture policies, and learning about a specific state’s policies.
In addition to educational resources, the AIE also hosts regular virtual networking events, allowing members to connect with fellow aquaculturists from across the country. These events provide a platform for members to share their experiences, exchange ideas, and forge new professional
relationships. Whether you’re new to aquaculture, a long-time farmer, or work in an adjacent industry, all are welcome!
We kicked off this year with a Virtual Meet-and-Greet event in January, where over 100 members joined over two sessions. Since then, members have given presentations about seafood tracing, the social dimensions of aquaculture, and seaweed marketing, with more fascinating lectures around the corner.
One of the standout advantages of the AIE compared to other social networking sites is our responsiveness to user needs. When AIE members requested instant messaging, we upgraded our plugin to allow for real-time communication. When there was a call for a way to leave feedback on any page, we added a feedback button to ensure we could continually improve based on user suggestions. In response to user requests for a way to propose their own online courses, we are developing a system that allows members to submit and manage their educational content. This adaptability ensures that the AIE evolves in ways that directly benefit the aquaculture community.
The AIE is committed to promoting inclusivity and diversity within the aquaculture industry. We believe that a diverse community is a stronger community, and we strive to create an environment where all members feel welcome and valued. We’ve spotlighted groups like Women of the Water and Minorities in Aquaculture in line with these values. We are working to make our website accessible for everyone, regardless of their level of technical expertise or physical abilities.
By joining the Aquaculture Information Exchange, you are stepping into a vibrant community where your voice matters, your challenges are addressed collaboratively, and your professional growth is supported by tailored resources and continuous learning opportunities. Together, we are not just participants in an industry but pioneers shaping the future of aquaculture through innovation, mutual support, and responsive development.
PHOTOS: JEFF HETRICK
Joe Catarine is the digital experience and community manager who is running the Aquaculture Information Exchange through the Virginia Sea Grant. jwcatarine@vaseagrant.org
