FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The frequently asked questions listed here originated from Canadians curious about or interested in a wide variety of aquaculture issues. We have addressed these in an effort to better communicate facts related to aquaculture in Canada.

Certain words, terms or phrases are linked to images or additional, detailed information about that particular subject.

If you have a question that is not addressed in this list, please use the Contact Us feature on this website to send us your query.

GENERAL INTEREST

• What is aquaculture?
• What is government’s role in aquaculture?
• What is DFO’s role in aquaculture management?
• What role do provincial governments play in aquaculture management?
• Why farm fish and seafood in Canada? Don’t Canadians have access to an abundant supply of wild fish?
• How long has aquaculture been practiced in Canada?
• Where is aquaculture done?
• What species are grown commercially in Canada?
• Are any other species being examined for aquaculture potential?
• What species are grown commercially in Canada?
• How do you farm fish, shellfish and marine plants?
• How many licensed aquaculture operations are there in Canada?
• What type and how many aquaculture licences¹ are there in each province?
• What is the size of a fish farm or shellfish farm operation?
• How many salmon are grown at one time?
• How many mussels can be grown at one time?
• What is the age, size and weight of the average farmed fish at harvest?
• What is the age, size and weight of cultured shellfish at harvest?

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

• Has DFO actually done its own scientific studies on aquaculture?
• What kinds of studies have other organizations done?
• Has enough scientific research been done to tell us that aquaculture poses a low risk to the environment?
• Are genetically engineered fish being grown for human consumption?

LEGISLATION & REGULATIONS

• Are aquaculture sites regulated?
• Do aquaculture operations undergo an environmental assessment?
• I’ve heard a lot about aquaculture posing risks to the environment. Can aquaculture be risk free?
• Does DFO listen to people who live in rural and coastal communities as to whether they want a farm site in their "backyard"?
• How many fish farms or shellfish farms can be in an area?

ENFORCEMENT, INSPECTION AND MONITORING

• Are aquaculture operations inspected on a regular basis?
• What types of ongoing monitoring take place? Who does the monitoring?
• Are penalties given to aquaculture operators who break the rules? What kind?
• Do aquaculture operations affect the environment?
• Does shellfish farming pose a risk to other aquatic species or the marine environment?
• Do leftover food or feces from farmed fish affect wild fish or pollute the marine environment?
• Would land-based systems make the fish healthier and eliminate environmental concerns?
• Why has so much attention been paid to escaped farmed salmon in British Columbia? Wouldn’t the occasional "break-out" help boost wild salmon populations in decline?
• Why are Atlantic salmon farmed in BC?
• How do fish escape from the net pen?
• Are escaped Atlantic farmed salmon damaging wild fish stocks in BC?
• Can Atlantic salmon mate with Pacific salmon?
• Do escaped Atlantic salmon compete with native Pacific salmon stocks for habitat and food?
• What could happen if a farmed Atlantic salmon bred with a wild Atlantic salmon?

FEED

• What type of food do farmed fish eat?
• What type of food do shellfish eat?
• How does a fish farmer know how much food to feed the fish they grow?
• How much feed would a farmed salmon eat over its lifetime?
• Could a disease such as BSE be transmitted through farmed fish?
• I’ve heard that we are depleting wild fish stocks to feed farmed salmon. Is this true?

DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL

• Do farmed fish spread disease to wild fish stocks?
• What types of disease are present in Canadian waters?
• What happens if disease is detected on a fish farm?
• Are farmed fish vaccinated?
• Are farmed fish treated with antibiotics?
• Are farmed fish given hormones to grow faster?
• What are sea lice?
• How many salmon farms are there in the Broughton Archipelago?
• Are fish farms in the Broughton Archipelago causing the dramatic increase in sea lice levels?
• What is the government prepared to do if evidence indicates that levels of sea lice are posing harm to wild stocks?
• Will eating salmon infected with sea lice safe make me sick?
• What sea lice research is being carried out by DFO?
• Will the pink return numbers for this year tell us if the fallowing or emptying of some salmon farms in 2003 had an impact on their survival?
• Are there sea lice in other areas of the Pacific Ocean?
• What is the sea lice situation on the fish farms in the Broughton?
• How do you respond to allegations that sea lice from fish farms in the area are killing juvenile pink salmon as they migrate out to sea?

FOOD SAFETY

• Is it safe to eat farmed fish?
• Is wild salmon more nutritious than farmed salmon?
• Does farmed fish contain mercury like wild fish such as tuna?
• Does farmed salmon taste different from wild salmon?
• Are colours or dyes used in farmed salmon?

EMPLOYMENT & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• Is aquaculture a government-run or private/for-profit business?
• Are there recreational opportunities to catch cultured fish?
• How many jobs are there in the Canadian aquaculture industry?
• What percentage does aquaculture contribute to Canada’s total fish and seafood production?
• Does aquaculture really create jobs for people who live in coastal communities?
• Is there really a future for aquaculture – it’s not just a fly-by-night industry to meet current demand?
• What are the start-up costs for salmon farm site?
• What are the start-up costs for a shellfish farm site?
• How do I learn more about the business side of aquaculture? Are there any start-up programs for people looking to get into the business?
• What kind of training do I need to get a job in the aquaculture industry?
• Where does Canada rank in relation to other countries in aquaculture production?
• Who sets the price for wild or farmed salmon and how do they come up with the amount?

Last Updated : 2006-06-28

Important Notices