Aquaculture

• Atlantic salmon (farmed)
• Mussels
• Oysters
• Arctic char
• Trout

1. 1

   Invest in land-based RAS technology for regulatory compliance and sustainability positioning

2. 2

   Develop Atlantic Canada aquaculture expansion to replace BC open-pen capacity

3. 3

   Pursue third-party sustainability certifications (ASC, BAP) for market differentiation

4. 4

   Diversify species production beyond Atlantic salmon to mussel, oyster, and Arctic char

5. 5

   Develop domestic feed production capabilities to reduce import dependency

Farmed seafood trades duty-free under CUSMA, but US anti-dumping investigations on farmed salmon have periodically disrupted market access. Environmental regulatory divergence on aquaculture practices (open-pen vs. land-based) creates non-tariff trade friction. US seafood labelling requirements for farmed vs. wild-caught products influence consumer purchasing patterns in ways that affect Canadian aquaculture competitiveness.

British Columbia's open-net pen aquaculture faces regulatory phase-out pressure from federal policy mandating transition to closed containment. Feed sourcing depends on imported fishmeal and soy protein, creating multi-layer supply chain vulnerability. Disease events (sea lice, infectious salmon anemia) can decimate production within single farming regions.

Canadian aquaculture competes with Norwegian, Chilean, and Scottish farmed salmon in global markets. Norway's scale advantages and Chile's lower costs pressure Canadian producers on pricing. Land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are emerging globally and could displace traditional ocean-based farming.