The aquaculture industry

Canada’s aquaculture industry has the potential to play an important role in the economic future of the country. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is committed to helping the industry develop in a responsible manner that will benefit all Canadians—through sound, future-minded management practices.

Under SARA, restrictions may be introduced on where new aquaculture operations can be established. Areas of critical habitat may be designated “off limits,” and access to brood stocks may, in some areas, be subject to special controls or prohibitions. The same may be true of pesticide use. There may also be changes required to methods of predator control and waste disposal.

A tool for the aquaculture industry

Whenever an aquatic species is considered for listing under SARA, DFO will always consider the potential impact on aquaculture. We recognize that Canada’s aquaculture industry has faced many challenges and we want to help it grow in an environmentally sustainable way. We are involved in site-approval and site-planning processes, and always seek to meet the requirements of SARA in the context of supporting the needs of aquaculture practitioners and other users.

Find out more

We will collaborate with associations and members of the aquaculture industry to ensure that protective measures developed as part of any recovery strategies and action plans under SARA are practical, effective, and environmentally sustainable.

For more information about how SARA might impact your aquaculture organization, read our Aquaculture fact sheet (HTML).