Gail Shea, Canadian minister of fisheries and oceans (DFO) has announced CAD 637,678 (€474,935/$600,830) in funding to support innovation and sustainability in the aquaculture industry in British Columbia.
"This investment supports the British Columbia aquaculture industry in developing projects that are innovative, sustainable and competitive in the international aquaculture playing field," said Shea. "I am pleased by the range of projects in this province that are receiving funding under DFO's Aquaculture Innovation and Market Access Program (AIMAP). It demonstrates the scope and potential of the industry, its focus on environmental stewardship, and the economic benefits it offers to coastal communities."
In BC, a total of six aquaculture projects, four finfish and two shellfish, will receive federal support through AIMAP. These projects seek to expand the knowledge and technologies currently being used in the British Columbia aquaculture industry.
"Our government supports the development of a vibrant and sustainable Canadian aquaculture industry that contributes to the economies of rural, coastal and First Nations communities. Campbell River is just one community in BC that sees the benefits of this industry firsthand," said John Duncan, minister of Indian and northern affairs and MP for Campbell River.
Through AIMAP, the Government of Canada supports the aquaculture industry by helping it develop and adopt management techniques and technologies that enhance the industry's economic and environmental performance.
The results of these projects, as with all AIMAP projects, will be shared with the Canadian aquaculture industry as a whole.
The following projects were awarded funding:
FINFISH
· Sablefish farming and hatchery improvements - Sablefish Canada Inc, operating on Salt Spring Island, has received CAD 200,000 (€148,957/$188,416) AIMAP funding to increase environmental performance and energy efficiency in sablefish aquaculture. The company is developing automated subsurface feeding technology to increase the operational efficiency of subsurface feeding equipment for farmed sablefish. The project will develop, install and test the new technology. This project has leveraged over CAD 1.7 million (€1.3 million/$1.6 million) in additional funds.
· White sturgeon farming diversification - Target Marine Hatcheries Ltd in Sechelt, BC, has received CAD 162,000 (€120,649/$152,582) in AIMAP funding to advance Canada's sturgeon freshwater aquaculture industry. The project includes work to improve maturation techniques, transfer and/or develop technology for non-invasive sexing and staging, develop finishing diets and environments to optimise flesh and caviar quality, and develop cultivating techniques to minimize viral disease impacts. This project has leveraged CAD 426,500 (€317,687/$401,703) in additional funds.
· Closed containment salmon aquaculture demonstration project - Mama'omas Enterprises Inc, a privately held company of the 'Namgis First Nation, has received nearly CAD 49,800 (€37,095/$46,900) in AIMAP funding to pilot an aquaculture facility designed to demonstrate the technical feasibility of producing full-sized salmon in a closed containment, land-based, water recirculation aquaculture facility. The project, which will be carried out near the north-eastern tip of Vancouver Island, will also try to define the necessary operating parameters for a much larger, commercial-scale facility. It has leveraged CAD 230,200 (€171,435/$216,786) in additional funds.
· Sea lice vaccines for salmonid aquaculture - Operating out of Saanichton, BC, Microtek International Inc has received more than CAD 36,438 (€27,138/$34,302) in AIMAP funding to validate and test an injectible sea lice vaccine for the prevention of the parasites in salmonid aquaculture. Microtek leveraged about CAD 42,500 (€31,668/$40,013) in additional funding for this project.
SHELLFISH
· Increasing confidence of food safety in cultured shellfish - Odyssey Shellfish Ltd, in Bowser, BC, has received CAD 100,000 (€74,529/$94,136) in AIMAP funding for a commercial-scale deepwater holding and pre-harvest finishing system for oysters. The goal of this project is to create a new health management tool to ensure quality and food safety aspects of cultured shellfish. More than CAD 313,000 (€233,274/$294,647) has been leveraged for this project.
· Renewable Energy at Shellfish Nurseries - Evening Cove Oysters, from Fanny Bay, BC, has received more than CAD 89,440 (€66,628/$84,146) in AIMAP funding to improve the efficiency and sustainability of shellfish aquaculture nurseries. This project will involve partnering with the Centre for Shellfish Research at Vancouver Island University to acquire and test solar power as a low cost technology solution to seed production. In addition to the AIMAP funds, this project has leveraged close to CAD 72,000 (€53,668/$67,768) in additional funding.
