Fall 2021
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Aquaculture Canada WAS North America
August 15-18, 2022 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The World Aquaculture Society (WAS), Aquaculture Association of Canada (AAC) and Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA) are excited to co-host this world class, international event; surely to be the largest aquaculture conference and trade show in Canadian history.
The conference will feature hundreds of worldclass speakers and delegates from around the globe on the science, technology, business and social aspects of aquaculture. St. John’s is located on the most eastern edge of North America, is Canada’s oldest European settlement, and the region is home to some of the most ecologically interesting areas in the World. Nearby UNESCO heritage sites and wildlife and nature conservancies make for exciting daily excursions. Historic and archival locations (one of the 4 corners of the Earth, Viking Settlements, etc.) are within 2 day excursions. This city, famous for its hospitality, music and culinary experiences is a quick trip across the Atlantic from Europe, and easily accessible from all other parts of North America, and the globe, by air. St. John’s is also home to internationally recognized centres in aquaculture and fisheries science, with Memorial University’s Fisheries and Marine Institute and Faculty of Science leading the way. Aquaculture Canada and WAS North America 2022 is the place to learn about the latest in aquaculture, see the newest technology in the trade show, and have a great time in the many fantastic restaurants and entertainment sites that St. John’s and Newfoundland and Labrador have to offer. We look forward to showcasing St. John’s and the surrounding area to delegates. | 2
A CRITICAL TRADE SHOW FOR AQUACULTURISTS! With 100 booths, Aquaculture Canada and WAS North America 2022 will have the largest aquaculture trade show in Canada! This is your opportunity to see the latest in products and services for the aquaculture industry. It is the place to visit current suppliers and make new contacts. To grow your business and keep pace with the technological advancements in the industry – this is the time and place to do it! George Street Photo: Michel Rathwell, Flickr
SOCIAL EVENTS The program will include engaging and exciting social and networking events to enhance your experience and business opportunities. Meet old friends and new acquaintances, relax and enjoy yourself in the best of hospitality and entertainment that Newfoundland and Labrador, and St. John’s have to offer. Events being planned include the Welcome Reception to open the conference, the AAC annual Dr. Joe Brown BBQ in support of aquaculture students, a Newfoundland Kitchen Party, and finally a evening Gala dinner. Details and costs of these events to be confirmed soon. Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
To register or for more information, please visit www.was.org/meeting/code/WANA2021
In this Issue
FALL 2021
Message from the President and Chair of the Board
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Message from the Executive Director
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Aquaculture Community Outreach: NAIA Summer Student Work Experience
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Welcome New Members!
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Fishglobe: Proven Performance in Flexible Post-smolt Salmon Rearing
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An Exceptional Summer Ridding Beaches of Marine Debris
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The Big Beach Clean up in Hardy's Cove/Hermitage Bay
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Congratulations NAIA 2021 PostSecondary Scholarship Recipients
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Bay D’Espoir Academy Science Showcase
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World Oceans Day Token of Appreciation
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Member Profile
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NAIA Supports the Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium
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Taking Fish Out of Fish Feed
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Community Profile: Point Leamigton & Pleasantview
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Cooking with Chef Steve Watson
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OysterGro Launches New Product, Process and Partnerships
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Couturier on Culture
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The Newfoundland and Labrador Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA) is a member-based organization that represents the interests of seafood farmers and their suppliers in Newfoundland and Labrador. We are passionate advocates on behalf of our members to facilitate and promote the responsible development of the aquaculture industry.
NAIA Board of Directors 2021-2022 President / Salmonid Representative Jason Card, Mowi Canada East
Shellfish Representative Laura Halfyard, Connaigre Fish Farms Inc.
Past President / Salmonid Representative Sheldon George, Cold Ocean Salmon
Shellfish Representative Juan Roberts, Badger Bay Mussel Farms Ltd.
Vice President / Shellfish Representative Terry Mills, Norlantic Processors Inc.
Salmonid Representative Knut Skeidsvoll, Grieg Seafood Newfoundland
Treasurer / At-Large Representative Danny Boyce, Dr. Joe Brown Aquatic Research Building, (JBARB) Memorial University of NL
Alternate Species Representative Joanne Stirling, Jerseyman's Island Fisheries Inc.
Secretary / At-large Representative Jonathan Gagné, Entreprises Shippagan Ltd.
Contact Us 29 – 31 Pippy Place, Suite 3007 St. John’s, NL, A1B 3X2 Ph: 709-754-2854 Fax: 709-754-2981 P.O. Box 27, St. Alban’s, NL, A0H 2E0 Ph: 709-538-3454 Fax: 709-538-3464 Cold Harvester Credits Katja Moehl Graphic Design Roberta Collier Copy Editor and Design Assistant
At-Large Representative Jason McGrattan, Elanco Canada Limited
Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association Staff Mark Lane Executive Director mark@naia.ca
Jackie Richards Office Manager jackie@naia.ca
Darrell Green R&D Coordinator dgreen@naia.ca
Roberta Collier Community Outreach Coordinator St. Alban’s Office roberta@naia.ca
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Message from President and Chair of the Board
Jason Card
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reetings to all Cold Harvester readers! It has been a tremendously busy summer for everyone involved in our province’s aquaculture industry, but I am very proud to say that despite all that hard work, companies still took time to show their commitment to their communities through a variety of special initiatives. In particular, I want to recognize the great work that was done through the NAIA led beach clean up initiative. Sponsored by aquaculture companies and supported by volunteers from our industry, this project once again brought together community leaders, companies, and citizens to protect the environment we all share. Spanning multiple communities, the day long
Sincere Thanks to our 2021 Shoreline Clean Up Sponsors
clean up projects took place over several weeks under the guidance of NAIA staff and several talented student interns, and at all times were conducted in a COVID safe manner. I want to thank everybody who played a role in making the beach clean ups a success once again this year, not just from the perspective of beautifying our coastline, but also from the perspective of unifying everyone with a stake in our industry under one cause. The unity shared amongst those with a stake in aquaculture is a special strength in Newfoundland and Labrador and is the foundation on which a bright future will be built!
Operational Oceanography for Aquaculture Consulting Services
Current, Wave Measurements Water Properties (CTD, DO,Tu) Remote Sensing Circulation Modeling
Metocean Equipment Leasing Largest Metocean Lease Pool in Canada
Wave Profiler
CTD
ADCP
www.aslenv.com | 4
Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
Message from Executive Director
Mark Lane, C.D.
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t’s been 7 years since I came back to NAIA as its Executive Director. During this time, I have had the opportunity to meet thousands of seafood farming enthusiasts spanning the globe. During my tenure there have been ups and downs like any farming sector but one thing that remains consistent is the passion and perseverance that those in this growing industry exhibit day-in and day-out; through good times and bad. I have been fortunate to have travelled to 5 of 7 continents in a pre-covid world meeting with farmers of many different species and touring their well cared for facilities from Puerto Montt, in southern Chile to Tromso in Northern Norway. We have fostered relationships and interactions with service suppliers, producers and processors throughout the entire value chain; from which we facilitated business ventures and partnerships here at home in Newfoundland and Labrador. We have never been better positioned as a sector to grow this industry. We have the local talent on the front lines whether it is on a farm site, in a hatchery or on the floor of a processing facility. We also have the support of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Through public research conducted earlier this summer by MQO Research, 71% of respondents indicated support for the aquaculture industry which as an increase since 2020 (62%) and 2018 (56%). The top reasons for supporting the industry was our economic impact and job creation (61%) and the fact that aquaculture is a good way to provide better quality food (41%). Alternatively, opposition to our industry has decreased throughout 2018 (14%), 2020 (10%) and 2021 (9%). What we need now is the assurance from our key decision makers that they believe in us and our ability to grow seafood here at home in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner. We need our federal and provincial politicians to believe in their fellow Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to get the job done - right. We need our elected officials to stand up for an industry that Fall 2021
has and can continue to reshape rural coastal communities in our province. Our politicians, at the provincial and federal levels need to listen to the majority of our provinces people and those that call this beautiful land home – the true stakeholders of any industry in the province. We are at a critical time in the aquaculture industry’s history in the province. It’s time for our politicians and governments to stand with us, not in front of us. We can only go where we can grow. The time is now for Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada to decide. We need to decide if we are open for business, open to investment and if we are, then proceed to create a regulatory framework that reflects that sentiment. Currently, the perception is that our regulatory framework in Canada and in this province is complex and does not create investor confidence. It actually erodes it. We have a 500+ year historical attachment to the sea. It’s why we today call this rock home. Seafood is the fabric of every rural coastal community in this province. Historically wild caught only. Now its seafood fishers and farmers alike. We, as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have an opportunity to expand the benefits of the industry as seen in places where we currently operate, generating wealth, opportunity and a bright future for rural areas of our beloved province.
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Aquaculture Community Outreach: NAIA Summer Student Work Experience By: Aisha George and Joshua Winsor, NAIA Summer Students
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his past summer, we had the wonderful opportunity to work with the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association as summer students for 8 weeks. NAIA’s goal is to represent and advocate for seafood farmers in Newfoundland and Labrador and one of their roles is to bring awareness to marine debris which was one of our main tasks this summer. We organized 8 shoreline clean ups in July and August which included: St. Alban’s, Harbour Breton, Conne River, Hermitage-Sandyville, Morrisville, Milltown-Head of Bay d’Espoir, Hardy’s Cove/Hermitage Bay and Marystown. A great deal of our work this summer went into planning, organizing, and facilitating these events including the larger shoreline clean up near Hardy’s Cove in Hermitage Bay. Duties included confirming volunteers, securing sponsors, including fresh seafood, and sourcing supplies. During the shoreline clean up in Conne River, we even had an opportunity to set up the Eat Mussels Grow Mussels game which went over very well with help from the Green Team. We also had the privilege to take part in multiple aquaculture-related tours throughout the summer. On July 12th we visited a Cooke Aquaculture site in Hermitage Bay where we learned about the farming cycle of Atlantic salmon, watched them do a weight sample and saw lumpfish in a cage. On July 27th we watched Cooke Aquaculture employees take a barge out of the water for maintenance. It took a lot of people with different roles to make this happen safely. On August 20th, we participated in a tour of the Swanger’s Cove Hatchery. On July 28th we visited Camp Connect at the Harbour Breton Community Youth Network and on August 11th we visited Reading for Fun in St. Alban’s. While we were there, we read “The Farm on the Sea” and “Charley-a Day in the Bay” books to the children ages 4-10 in attendance. The kids were very interested in the books and some of them were excited to tell us that they knew someone that works in the aquaculture | 6
Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
industry. We gave out a copy of The Farm on the Sea book and an environmentally friendly, ocean themed treat bag to each child. The kids were very excited and involved which made the experience even more enjoyable. Our summer positions with NAIA were truly excellent. We learned that there is so much more to the aquaculture industry
Fall 2021
than just growing fish. It was a very fulfilling and exciting 8 weeks. We would like to send out a special thank you to NAIA and Community Outreach Coordinator Roberta Collier, and the all the wonderful people we met and worked with along the way for giving us all the tools and help we needed to make this summer a success. We are very grateful for this unique experience.
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, the ground-breaking closed floating fish farming system has been in operation for two generations outside of Stavanger, Norway and the results are better than its developers could have imagined. The technology is also giving fish farmers the tool they need for sustainable growth! FishGLOBE is a fully closed fish tank for salmon, designed to produce post smolt (up to 1kg). The first commercial version is 3500m3 and has a capacity of 75 kg/m3 – higher than any other closed system. The hope and aim in designing and building the globe was to help the industry to handle some of the big challenges: achieving better fish welfare, eliminating lice or the need for lice treatment and preventing escapes. As a bonus, the system also enables collection of the sediments, therefore reducing the environmental impact on the fjords. The globe is built in polyethylene (HDPE), a strong and flexible material. It is a complete closed unit – the top is covered - and gives high health, safety, environment and welfare for the operators all year long. There are six inlet pipes taking water from a deep level, below the sea lice belt. The flow and circulation are economically calculated from CFD (computational fluid dynamics) analysis and the flow is one of the main reasons for the great results that have been achieved. Particles are lifted up to the technical deck from bottom, giving 100% control of the feeding process, meaning the fish can be fed with extreme precision, giving premium growth results. | 8
The flow is also crucial for optimizing O2 levels and getting rid of the CO2. With three water changes per hour, the flow and the fish welfare are the best in class. No other closed containment system can show such excellent water flow and – best of all – that way it is also possible to go up to 75 kg/m3.
As a post smolt production unit, a globe represents a very wise investment for fish farmers. It will give good flexibility as it is an autonomous and movable unit. The results from the first two generations show that FishGLOBE delivers on its promises, as well as producing growth that has exceeded the developers’ expectations. If the cost is compared with other investment – such as a post smolt facility onshore – the globe shows a significantly lower required investment and is biologically safer than, for example, RAS (recirculating aquaculture systems). FishGLOBE is the production unit of tomorrow and it is already commercially available to help farmers to cope with the greatest challenge of them all – growing production in a way that is flexible and sustainable. www.fishglobe.no Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
Fall 2021
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
Sam Bowman www.aceaquatec.com
Robb Hoyles www.polyamyna.com
Brandon Sparkes www.sparkessubsea.ca
Interested in Becoming Member of NAIA? Contact Roberta Collier BUS: 709-538-3454 CEL: 709-538-7080 EMAIL: roberta@naia.ca MARINE SERVICE CENTER LOCATIONS Harbour Breton, NL
Fermeuse, NL o 150 Ton Capacity o Up to 30 ft wide
o 50 Ton Capacity o Up to 20 ft wide
C A L L U S T O D A Y ! Noel Dunne (Fermeuse)
Carl Griffin (Harbour Breton)
T: (709)363-2082 C: (709)363-7999 E: fermeuse@360marine.ca
T: (709)885-2141 C: (709)885-5076 E: harbourbreton@360marine.ca
SERVICES
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Mechanical & Electrical Repairs
Dry Dock Vessels
Vessel Maintenance & Repairs
Vessel Painting
Steel & Aluminum Fabrication
Vessel Storage
Marine & Fishing Supplies
Fiberglassing
Dockside Repairs
Carpentry
Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
A Global Game Changer Proven Performance in Flexible Post-smolt Salmon Rearing
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e are now building our globe version nr. 2. It will be seaborn around mid September at locations in Rogaland County in Norway and, according to the plan, it will be in operation early November. The Globe nr.2 is equal in size to version one, but we have used the last year to really mature the design and find simpler and easier ways to engineer and assemble the components. The basic technology of water flow, water patten and collection of sedimental waste works so well that nr.2 is literally a blue print of version 1. FishGLOBE is now entering a commercial phase where we seek to sell units to fish farmers in Norway as well as UK and Canada. We would like to get in touch with potential partners in Canada in order to sell, produce and support the operation of the globes. We have now gone through 4 generations of post molt salmon production with great result in terms of growth, fish welfare, and low mortality, with 0 sea lice treatment and collection of waste. This proves that FishGLOBE keeps it promises and the design is far more than a “sexy drawing/ animation” and is now a fully working technology. We hope that more and more farmers will see FishGLOBE as a flexible alternative to post-smolt production on land, with a lower investment cost, lower energy consumption (1kwh pr. Kg produced) and the flexiblity to move around for optimal production which is not possible with a permanent building. Best Regards, Tor Magne Madsen FishGLOBE AS 📞 +47 99712295 www.fishglobe.no Photo credits: Tor Magne Madsen Building site: Bluegreen fusion, Bambe Norway. Main contractor construction: Uponor Main technical contractor Icon System
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An Exceptional Summer Ridd M
By: Aisha George and Joshua Winsor, NAIA Summer Students
arine debris is man-made waste that has been deliberately or accidentally released into a lake, sea, ocean, or waterway. Every year since 2007, NAIA has organized annual shoreline clean ups in the Coast of Bays region and province with the goal of reducing the marine debris that ends up in our oceans. Informing the public about the major issue of marine debris is also a crucial step towards decreasing it. This summer, NAIA staff and summer
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students, in partnership with communities, industry partners, and various organizations conducted 8 community shoreline clean ups in the areas of St. Alban’s, Harbour Breton, Conne River, HermitageSandyville, Morrisville, Milltown-Head of Bay d’Espoir, Hardy’s Cove/Hermitage Bay, and Marystown. Overall, a total of 273 volunteers collected 400 bags of debris. At each event, the volunteers were given a separate stretch of shoreline to
clean within the community. They then returned for prize draws, snacks and refreshments. Data was collected about the quantity and type of debris and was later tallied and compared to previous years data. Styrofoam and rope were two of the most commonly found items this year. We were happy to see that the amount of debris which included rope, household items, plastics, etc. decreased in most areas.
Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
ding Beaches of Marine Debris
The Big Beach Clean up in Hardy's Cove/Hermitage Bay
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large portion of our time went into planning a new shoreline clean up this summer, in the Hardy’s Cove area of Hermitage Bay. It was brought to our attention that this area needed a great deal of work with the large amount of debris that had been washing ashore for many years. We accepted the challenge and surveyed the area by boat with staff from Cooke Aquaculture in mid-July. We discovered that there were 4 major beaches that needed cleaning and 4 more smaller beaches that needed work. This area with approximately 2.75 kilometer radius would require many resources to make it happen. Cooke Aquaculture, the Town of Hermitage, MAMKA, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, the Department of Fisheries, Forestry & Aquaculture, Connaigre Fish Farms, local cabin owners and residents volunteered to help, and a clean up was scheduled and completed on Monday, August 16th.
Fall 2021
With boats, barges and various sized vessels, Hermitage Bay was a-buzz with each shoreline being cleaned. Volunteers delivered the debris to a Cooke Aquaculture barge that was situated in the middle of Hermitage Bay. After spending 4 hours in high summer temperatures, everyone returned to Melvin Jackman’s cabin where the NAIA team prepared Atlantic salmon kabobs, blue mussels, hot dogs and hamburgers. Overall, approximately 200 full bags (40 one-tonne sacs) of debris was removed from the beaches in the area. Most of the debris collected included: rope, fish tubs, buoys, containers and other plastic. Special thanks to all of our sponsors, partners, and supporters who made all of these clean ups successful: Cooke Aquaculture, Mowi, Grieg Seafood NL, Kelly Cove Salmon, 360 Marine, SIMcorp Marine, Connaigre Fish Farms, Newfoundland
Aqua Service, Town of St. Alban’s, Town of Harbour Breton, Town of Morrisville, Town of Hermitage-Sandyville, Town of Milltown– Head of the Bay, Town of Marystown, Miawpukek Band Council, Local Cabin owners in Hermitage Bay, Harbour Breton CYN and Youth Ventures, Elliot Premises, Harbour Breton Recreation Committee, Marvin’s Garage, MAMKA, Miawpukek Band Council, CCNL/Miawpukek Green Team, Hermitage Processing Inc., Hermitage Lions Club, St. Alban’s CYN, St. Alban’s Recreation, St. Alban’s Lions Club, St. Alban’s Heritage Group, St. Alban’s Community Channel, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, Swanger’s Cove Hatchery, North East Nutrition, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ocean Science Centre, Milltown Lions Club, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police. We look forward to seeing you all again next year!
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NAIA Supports the Bay d’Espoir Academy Science Showcase
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AIA was happy to sponsor the Bay d’Espoir Academy Junior High Science Showcase that took place on June 18th. This initiative encourages our youth to become engaged in science and innovation. Photo: L to R: Ms. Harris, Science Teacher at Bay D’Espoir Academy accepting the cheque from Roberta Collier, NAIA Outreach Coordinator; Sheldon George, NAIA Past President / Regional Manager for Cooke Aquaculture shown here with some of the student participants.
FOUNDLAND
NEW
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Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
Congratulations NAIA 2021 POST-SECONDARY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS T
he Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA) is pleased to announce the winners of our 9th Annual Scholarship for high school graduating students in Newfoundland and Labrador. Two scholarships valued at $500 will be awarded to students pursuing a post-secondary
education in 2021. Congratulations to this year’s recipients Julie Kennedy and Drystan Simms who will be awarded $500 each towards their studies! This annual scholarship competition is made available with proceeds raised at the annual Joe Brown Silent Auction.
Julie Kennedy attended Holy Spirit High School in Conception Bay South, NL and will be attending Memorial University where she has been accepted into the Faculty of Engineering and will be working towards a degree in Naval Architecture.
Drystan Simms attended John Watkins Academy in Hermitage, NL and will be attending Memorial University where he will be working towards an Engineering degree.
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World Oceans Day Token of Appreciation
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uring World Ocean Day, which was held on June 8th, NAIA staff organized a province wide poster contest, scavenger hunt and cupcake contest and more than 200 entries from 16 grade levels/schools across the province were received.
As a continuation of these World Oceans Day events, and as a token of our appreciation, we rewarded the schools with a lunch/pizza day during their last week of school in June.
Students from Gill Memorial Academy in Musgrave Harbour
St. Stephen's All Grade students in Rencontre East enjoyed a hike and snacks.
Students from Admirals Academy in CBS participated in both the scavenger hunt and poster contest for World Oceans Day. | 16
Students from Stephenville Elementary School Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
MEMBER PROFILE
69 Elizabeth Avenue St. John’s, NL A1A 1W8 709.700.1983 www.workglobalcanada.com
S
erving Canadian Employers since investment matching services to local 2012, Work Global Canada Inc. business owners seeking prospecprovides full turn-key labour market tive international entrepreneurs who solutions to Canadian employers and wish to purchase or invest in their international candidates. WGCi probusiness. We use the following provides employers with both Canadian cesses to assist Canadian employers: workers and foreign talents, both Labour Market Impact Analysis (LMIA), skilled and low-skilled. We are here Francophone Mobility, Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), Atlantic to serve the needs of the aquaculture industry. Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP), & We have a dedicated team of Business Immigration. professionals, Regulated Canadian We believe in the continued posiImmigration Consultants (RCIC), with tive outlook of Canada. It is our vision partnerships across Canada, and repto be recognized as the international resentatives in NL, NS, QC, NB, and recruitment solution provider of ON. Through our licensed immigration choice for employers who have a need consultants, we can provide Business for specific skills or competencies and PLEASE NOTE: WHEN PROOFING, Immigration, Start-Up Visa, Intrahelping to improve the Canadian econCompany Transfers, LMIA, Work Permits, Study Permits, omy through working to minimize gaps in the labour market. and Permanent Residency Applications. We also provide HR Our head office is in St. John’s, Newfoundland and AFTER CUSTOMER APPROVAL, ERRORS WILLlaunched BE AT CUSTOMER’S EX facilitation for employers and bring international students through continuedANY success we have satellite All Quotes include two proofs. Any additional proofs above this will require a additio to Universities and Community Colleges. divisions in Nova Scotia and Ontario. We are looking to conThe hospitality and tourism, automotive, and health care nect with employers in aquaculture, agriculture, healthcare, industries have been our core market for many years. In the hospitality, automotive and tech sectors, universities, health care industry, we have assisted private residential, and business owners (that are looking for investment or private-owned businesses, and regional health authority potential buyers). run institutions with skilled talent. We aim to provide the highest quality employment solutions to our clients through the recruitment of Canadian and international workers who best meet their specific requirements, while at the same time providing quality employment opportunities to international workers with specialized skills. We intend to realize this mission through a commitment to superior business practices designed to WELDING BARGE CONSTRUCTION MOBILE WELDING SANDBLASTING PAINTING ensure the highest value to the client, the employees, Work PROPELLER REPAIRS & OTHER SERVICES Global Canada Inc., and the country of Canada. Bus: 709-257-1199 JIM GOSSE Through Business Immigration Pathways we also provide Jamesgosse1964@gmail.com Cell: 709-486-4112
PLEASE PROOF VERY CAREFULLY.
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Committed to Servicing the Aquaculture Industry for the Long Term
LOGISTICS
CAGE CONSTRUCTION
TREATMENT SOLUTIONS
SITE MAINTENANCE & CONSTRUCTION
SUPPLIES
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ELECTRICAL & AERATION
Complete Solutions & Services to the Aquaculture Industry in Atlantic Canada 101 Route 360 Harbour Breton, NL A0H 1P0 t: (709)885-2141 f: (709)885-2741 e: admin@360marine.ca
Locally Owned & Operated Service Provider to the Marine Industry | 18
Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
NAIA Supports the Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium By: Keith Moore, Executive Director, Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium
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he Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium is one of a small but growing number of catch-and-release community aquariums across Canada, engaging close to 150,000 visitors with hands-on marine education since opening in 2013. As a non-profit organization and registered charity, the board and staff continually work towards their mission of fostering curiosity about local marine life and inspiring action toward personal and global sustainability through display, interpretation and direct action. Every season from June to September, the Mini Aquarium invites local residents, school groups, youth groups, and travelers from near and far to experience the ocean at eye level. Visitors to the aquarium can see, touch, interact and learn about the local animals that call Newfoundland and Labrador waters home. From October to May, the Mini’s marine education outreach team travels around the Avalon and beyond, bringing the wonder of the ocean and hands-on programming to youth groups, seniors’ residences and community events. As a part of its educational focus, the Mini Aquarium collaborates with likeminded organizations, departments and industry associations to help raise awareness of the marine environment.
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In 2021, the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association collaborated with the Mini Aquarium to sponsor an exhibit on mussel aquaculture. This display featured two components: A live animal habitat and a recreation of a mussel farming operation. The live habitat contained mussel specimens collected by divers in Petty Harbour, allowing the visitors to get an up-close look at mussel biology, feeding and life history. The full-scale mussel farm model shows how seed mussels are socked and suspended from lines underwater, eventually growing to a harvestable size. Sponsored exhibits like the NAIA mussel aquaculture display help support the educational initiatives of the Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium, while bringing new and exciting learning opportunities for the visiting public. As part of this past summer’s public aquarium tours, the Mini Aquarium team engaged over 8,000 people on the topic of mussel aquaculture through this exhibit.
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Taking Fish Out of Fish Feed – Skretting Trials Lower Marine Content Feed in North America
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eing the global leader in nutritional solutions for aquaculture doesn’t just mean being the biggest. At Skretting, it means providing options that are not only innovative but are sustainable. Over twenty years ago Skretting researchers began to study the nutritional needs of fish with the goal of being able to reduce and eventually replace the need for marine ingredients in our feed.
alternative that provides all of the EPA/DHA fats necessary. N3 diets are groundbreaking salmonid diets that utilize a new marine algae oil capable of providing a viable and sustainable alternative to the finite supply of fish oil. Skretting Canada, at their production facility in St. Andrews, New Brunswick has recently completed their first production trial with EPA/ DHA replacement in a high-performance feed. After some adjustments to accommodate the additional oil source and removal of fish oil, they are now ready to move forward with commercial inclusion. INFINITY – SUSTAINABLE AQUAFEEDS TO MEET THE GLOBAL NEEDS
The move away from marine raw materials in aquaculture gives fish farmers the license to expand in a responsible way by providing a more sustainable product that is not dependent upon declining fishing quotas and fish meal shortages, price variability in the market, and gives the entire industry a tool against the perception that aquaculture is depleting wild fish stocks. MICROBALANCE CONCEPT – AN INNOVATION IN AQUAFEED PRODUCTION
The research into micronutrient and amino acid needs of fish needs by Skretting is part of the MicroBalance™ concept and out of it, our FLX feeds were created to remove the requirement for fish meal as a necessary protein source. FLX diets are a reality today and have been shown through comprehensive trials to produce optimal health, growth, and quality of fish with no significant difference to fish grown on diets containing fish meal. The next step in this work was to replace fish oil with an | 20
Image: Alex Obach, R&D Director, Skretting ARC at the Seminar on Infinity
The combination of these two concepts (FLX and N3) has led to trials and use of a full marine replacement feed in Skretting Norway, known as the Infinity line. This exciting milestone is the realization of a major step forward for the entire industry and provides a new level of sustainability in aquaculture feeds. While the cost of the EPA/DHA replacement is still a consideration, the long-term costs as production volumes increase are likely to become comparable to fish oil and may soon become the more cost-effective solution of the future. As we look ahead, Skretting continues to assess options for customers and the industry that allow us to fulfill our mission of Feeding the Future! Learn more at www.skretting.ca
Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
POINT LEAMINGTON & PLEASANTVIEW Photo: Point Leamington Marina, Photo Credit: Town of Point Leamington
Community Profile All across Newfoundland and Labrador the aquaculture industry contributes to local rural economies by providing employment for residents and supporting infrastructure investments and service sector companies. Our towns support our sustainable industry by providing a positive and supportive environment for aquaculture development. With this in mind, the “Community Profile Column", in each edition of the Cold Harvester magazine, will celebrate a community where the aquaculture industry is active and is boosting rural economic activity.
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ollow route 350 North from Botwood for approximately 25 minutes and you will reach the picturesque communities of Point Leamington and Pleasantview. The two communities are home to about 635 residents (Point Leamington – 590; Pleasantview - 45) and are located in the centre of the area’s aquaculture industry, with mussel farming companies Black Gold and Notre Dame Mussel Farms operating several sites in the nearby harbours and bays. Point Leamington is a small, but very vibrant community. In the 1980’s, Superior Glove Works opened a factory that remains in operation today, employing many of the residents. They have been a tremendous economic asset to the community for over 30 years and along with local businesses, Point Leamington is a community with a very high employment rate. Like Point Leamington, the nearby community of Pleasantview was a logging and farming community for much of it’s history, but since the 1990’s the Service District has also Fall 2021
been home to a mussel processing plant owned and operated by Norlantic Processing. Several residents of Pleasantview work full-time at the plant and on the mussel aquaculture sites. While many area residents work in aquaculture and at Superior Glove Works, there are many others who commute to Botwood and Grand Falls-Windsor for work while others travel for work in the oil industry offshore and in jobs in western Canada. Point Leamington has two walking trails, a ten site trailer park, a marina, a playground, a Heritage Centre, a Recreation Center and a salmon river, which flows through the town. Mayor of Point Leamington, Wilf Mercer says “The mussel farms in our neighbouring community, Pleasantview, provide great employment opportunities for residents of the community, as well as for residents from other communities. The aquaculture industry and Superior Glove in Point Leamington, are very important to this rural areas of our province and will be vital in securing their futures.” 21 |
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Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
Cooking with Chef Steve Watson Italian Breaded Salmon BLT with Toasted Cheddar Cheese Bread INGREDIENTS 2 x 4 Ounce Atlantic Salmon Tails ½ Cup Italian breadcrumbs ¼ Cup Virgin olive oil 4 Strips naturally cured bacon, thick cut 2 Cheddar cheese bread buns 2 Tbsp. Tartar sauce 1 Cup finely shredded Romaine lettuce 1 Ripe tomato, sliced Freshly ground black pepper Coarse salt METHOD Coat the Atlantic salmon in the Italian bread crumbs. Heat the skillet to medium heat and add the salmon tails. Cook evenly for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Cook the bacon until lightly browned on both sides and fat has rendered, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate and set aside. Place cheese bread bun halves in the same skillet with the bacon fat. Brown on one side on medium-low heat, swirling occasionally. Lay toasted bread on a work surface and spread tartar sauce on both sides. Add the lettuce, then layer the SEAFOOD TIP: When cooking salmon in a skillet with skin on, be sure to cook it on both sides, starting with the skin-side down. The skin is tough and durable and can withstand more time on the hot surface of the pan without overcooking. Once the pink
tomato slices on and sprinkle generously with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Top it with the Italian breaded salmon. Break bacon slices in half and layer them onto the sandwich in 2 layers of 4 half slices each, alternating the orientation of bacon in each layer for more structural stability. Close the sandwich and cut in half diagonally. Serve with a side of potato chips. Enjoy!
color of the salmon has moved up about three-quarters of the way from the bottom, it’s time to flip the salmon. Once flipped, it should cook in approximately 2 minutes for thicker fillets and 1 to 2 minutes for thinner fillets.
CHEF STEVE WATSON served as an apprentice in London, and worked in Scotland, Belgium, France and Germany before moving to Canada in 1977 to study North American cooking. He taught culinary arts at the Cambrian College in Sudbury, ON before joining the Canadian Pacific Hotels chain in 1988. He recently retired as Territory Sales Manager and Executive Chef with Agropur, and has taken on a new passion of working as a tour guide with McCarthy’s Party in St. John’s, NL. He’s also a devoted family man and a prominent member of the local community. Steve epitomizes the definition of a volunteer, including his work with NAIA and his quarterly submissions to the Cold Harvester, and spends countless hours giving back to the people of a province he now calls home. Fall 2021
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OysterGro Launches New Product, Process and Partnerships
OysterGro Farming
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lmost two years after a global pandemic turned the world upside down, Atlantic Canada’s OysterGro Aquafarming Systems by BBI Group is thriving and looking toward a bright future. In January of 2020, the opportunities seemed limitless when Steen Gunderson, Ron Girouard and Martin Savoie led a management buyout to take over ownership of the BBI Group of Companies. However, a few short weeks later, countries all over the world were going into lockdown due to COVID-19 and it wasn’t long before Canada followed suit. Faced with a multitude of unknowns only 2 short months into being the new owners of BBI Group, the team decided to face the challenges head on and forge ahead focusing on doing what was needed to make sure they kept their employees working and their business moving forward. With their expertise in plastic injection | 24
moulding and a highly-qualified and adaptable team working in their stateof-the-art moulding facility, BBI Group worked with Dalhousie University’s Engineering Department to develop a Face Shield for frontline healthcare use. They worked around the clock to design a Face Shield and procure the necessary tooling for production. The entire process, which normally would have taken months, was completed in just 10 days! This success allowed BBI Group the breathing room necessary to not only remain open during the pandemic, but also the freedom to further develop OysterGro and other areas of their business. The original OysterGro system was developed with the collective input of a team of marine biologists, aquaculturalists, members of the fishing industry and the manufacturing team at BBI Group. Through continuous feedback with customers and OysterGro’s partnership mentality, this eventually led to OysterGro offering 5 distinct models ranging from the lightweight LowPro 2-Bag Cage to the heavy-duty HighFlo 6-Bag Cage designed for rough water. Recently, BBI Group held a triple launch event, introducing a new product, a new division and a new financing partnership. To date, the financing portion of the launch is the first and only of its kind in the aquaculture industry and is available to all Canadian customers through a partnership with Farm Credit Canada. This will allow OysterGro customers to finance their purchases for up to 18 months while giving them the time needed to bring their oysters to market. As part of the triple launch, BBI Group also
revealed two of its latest innovations – AquaFab Engineering for Aquaculture and the all-new OysterGro HYBRID SHIFT cage system. AquaFab is BBI Group’s newest division, and combines the best of their strengths in engineering, metal fabrication, tooling design and plastics manufacturing in order to offer them to the aquaculture industry. Whether it is rope kit design, improving farming processes, or the fabrication of specialty support equipment, AquaFab Engineering for Aquaculture has a diverse and highlyqualified technical team to service those needs. OysterGro’s newest 6-Bag Cage, the HYBRID SHIFT, combines the use of aluminum alloys and engineered polymers to increase the strength and rigidity of the cage system, all while reducing weight. It’s an easy self-assembly system, designed to drastically reduce shipping costs, lessen environmental impact, and reduce assembly labour. The main inspiration behind this cage was driven by customer feedback and a desire to reduce carbon footprint. The enhanced cage longevity, full bag containment and rigid structure make this a great value product that OysterGro expects will be the premium choice for its customers going forward. OysterGro prides itself on being more than just a supplier, but rather a long-term partner. Looking toward the future, the OysterGro team’s objective remains the same – continue to innovate, deliver the best quality products in the market place and offer a range of systems with enough variety to match the needs of today’s oyster farmer. Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
Couturier on Culture Farmed Seafood for a Healthy Body, Soul, & Planet Cyr Couturier is a marine biologist, aquaculture scientist, educator, part-time seafood farmer and advisor, and academic. He sits and has sat as a volunteer on a variety of government advisory councils and boards (science-based), regional and national economic development boards, and farming association boards. He has travelled and worked with seafood farmers in 18 countries, across Europe, South America, and Asia, and they share one thing in common – to farm food and feed their families. He has been recognized several times by industry and academic awards, mostly for seafood farming activities, and awarded 1 of 10 Designated Hitters in the Top 50 in Canadian Agriculture 2021 for his efforts in agvocacy.
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anadian farmed seafood is among the most affordable and nutritious protein for Canadians. Raised with care it provides millions of meals to Canadian families each year. The average cost for a standard meal of finfish or shellfish ranges from $2-4 in retail. And, it’s healthy for the planet as well! It is produced in every province and the Yukon, and available in retail and restaurants fresh 365 days of the year, as well as in a variety of value-added formats. No less than 20 species of seafood are farmed across Canada, including finfish, shellfish (mussels, oysters), and seaweeds. Most of the production is focused on salmon, trout, mussels and oysters, however there are a number of small farm operations developing sablefish, sturgeon, clam, seaweed, arctic char, eel and a few other exciting species for Canadian palates. The vast majority of seafood farms are family-owned businesses with fewer than 500 employees, but there are a few larger Canadian companies employing many more. More than 25,000 farming families are engaged directly as farmers or indirectly as suppliers to farmers in rural and coastal Canada. These are mostly young families looking towards a promising future in farming the seas, as recommended by well-known explorer Jacque Yves Cousteau in 1971 in response to the obvious destruction of fisheries around the globe. The seafood farming sector is fairly new to Canada in a commercial sense, having started in the mid-1970s. Most seafood farmers are environmentalists, and Fall 2021
conservationists, using the best available science to ply their craft, and produce safe, healthy and responsible food. They also care about their local communities, providing aid in times of crisis. For example, well over 1 million meals of farmed seafood were distributed to Canadian foodbanks at beginning of the pandemic when disruptions in our food supply chain could not be avoided owing to COVID-19. Canada’s seafood farming sector generates CDN $2.1 billion in GDP, CDN $6 billion economic activity (including taxes, support and value chain sectors), and about CDN $1 billion in wages. The industry is composed of veterans, owners in their 50s and 60s, but the vast majority of employees on and off farm and service are 20-40 years of age, of which men and women are in equal proportions. Women are taking an increasing role in leadership on industry and sectoral Boards, in company and on farm management, and here too the numbers are closing in on proportional representation in the sector. The industry has partnerships, business relations, and First Nations agreements across Canada, in various provinces, with well over 100 FN’s. To say the seafood farming industry is not diverse, would be a misnomer, given the thousands of First Nations, new Canadians, permanent residents, and Canadians working in the sector from every province, territory and numerous countries from across the globe. One of the challenges is getting new skilled workers to move from urban to rural, coastal Canada to take up the many Continued Next Page 25 |
Couturier on Culture CONTINUED
highly technical but rewarding jobs in the sector (farm managers, farm technicians, environmental technicians, aquatic veterinarians, scientists, vessel operators, etc.), not only in the seafood farming sector, but in all of agriculture: Canadian Ag lost $3 billion in farm productivity in 2018 owing to skilled and unskilled labour shortages, and a further $3 billion in 2020 just owing to labour and market disruptions by COVID-19. The Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council is working on attraction strategies for youth to enter the sector to fill these gaps in both the short and longer term. Seafood farmers must comply with a variety of complex regulations (as many as 84 at last count) to bring these healthy and nutritious products to Canadians. Seafood farming (a.k.a. Aquaculture) is jointly managed and the responsibility of both Federal and Provincial Governments. With oversight and approval by dozens of provincial and federal agencies, including Fisheries and Oceans, Agriculture and Agrifoods, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Health Canada and their analogs in the Provinces and Territories, Canadians can be assured that what you see and eat in farmed seafoods, is good for the Body, the Soul, and the Planet. After all, they are the guardians for Canadians for safe, wholesome, and nutritious food sources. On the carbon footprint side of the equation, farmed seafoods are among the most ecologically efficient forms of food / protein production known on the planet, typically using less resources (water, feed, space), and sequestering carbon | 26
(seaweeds, shellfish) known on the planet, and improvements on this are made continuously. The United Nations recognizes it as one of the key measures to achieve a number of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, and so do many countries. Most farmed seafoods are low in saturated fats and carbohydrates, high in protein, and rich in heart and brain healthy omega-3s, vitamins (B6, 12, D) and essential minerals for humans. Not only that, they taste fantastic and are easy to prepare. No wonder the Canada Food Guide from Health Canada recommends at least two portions of oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna in a healthy and balanced diet. A study conducted about 5 years ago revealed that if Canadians ate heart healthy seafood, like farmed salmon, twice per week in keeping with the Canada Food Guide, costs to the healthcare systems from balanced diets including seafood, could easily be reduced by CDN $9 billion in preventative and healthier lifestyles. There are numerous medical reports of the benefits of eating seafood in general, including farmed seafood, and some recent studies have shown there may even be a COVID-19 therapy from seaweed consumption, among other beneficial impacts on human health and nutrition. Most Canadians have little time to read their news, many get it on social media of one sort or other, they are busy with their daily lives and typically do not know where their food originates, or how it is made. This applies to farmed seafood as well as any of our wonderful Canadian farmed foods on land. Whenever public surveys are conducted across Canada the average “approval” rating of farmed seafood typically ranges above 80% by all Canadians, and it continues to grow. Rest assured, Canadian farmed foods, whether on land or sea, are among the most wholesome, safe, and environmentally benign foods on Earth, and this is recognized by Canadians, and ALL of our trading partners. For additional information on seafood farming/aquaculture in Canada please review www.aquaculture.ca or consult the United Nations Food and Agriculture site biannual report SOFIA 2020 at www.fao.org. For beautiful and delicious blue mussel recipes, visit www.bluemussels.com This article is modified from the September edition of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s Food for Thought e-Newsletter. Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association
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Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association