Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP) - Program Information

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1. OBJECTIVE

The Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP) is a Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) initiative to increase the level of collaborative research and development activity between the aquaculture industry and the department, and in some instances with other funding partners. ACRDP is an industry-driven program that teams industry with DFO researchers. Projects will be conducted at DFO Research facilities or possibly industry partner facilities. The program will allocate ACRDP funds to collaborative research projects that are proposed and jointly funded by aquaculture producer partners. ACRDP funding is approximately $4.5 million per year and will be subdivided regionally.

The key goals of the program are to:

• Improve the competitiveness of the Canadian aquaculture industry;
• Increase collaboration between the department and industry on scientific research and development that will enhance aquaculture in Canada;
• Facilitate and accelerate the process of technology transfer and research commercialization through closer collaboration with the Canadian aquaculture industry; and
• Increase scientific capacity for essential aquaculture research and development in the aquaculture sector.

The broad research and development objectives are threefold, as outlined below, with the priorities provided under each objective.

Best performance in fish production

• Improved diets for fish
• Access to broodstock and superior strain development
• Husbandry methods to ensure the production of high quality products
• Avoidance strategies and husbandry methods to control fouling and predators
• Improved grow out systems (offshore, land-based, recirculation)
• New species development

Optimal fish health

• Disease resistance
• Disease surveillance and detection
• Life cycle studies on causative agents (pests, pathogens and parasites)
• Health management

Industry environmental performance

• Influence of environment on aquaculture
• Treatment of land-based fish farm discharge
• Interaction of aquaculture and the environment (e.g., refugia, escapees)
• Carrying capacity and coastal zone modeling
• Real time biological and environmental monitoring

National and regional priorities have been established under these broad objectives.

2. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Eligible industry applicants are aquaculture producers operating within Canada who are directly involved in producing an aquatic species for pre-commercial or commercial purposes. Aquaculture production is defined as growing an aquatic species and further, that the aquaculture producer has ownership of the product or has an aquaculture license or lease to culture the product. Producers undertaking commercial or developmental production activities on existing or new aquaculture species or aquaculture companies or associations involved with sea ranching mariculture operations are eligible to apply. Industry producer associations or consortia of producers are also eligible to apply. Other aquaculture sector stakeholders are eligible to participate as a partner with an industry producer.

3. REVIEW PROCESS

Proposals will be made by applicants based on a standard Application Form and Proposal Format. The Application Form and Proposal will contain information used to evaluate project eligibility and merit. Proposals will be reviewed by DFO officials to ensure completeness, accuracy and eligibility under ACRDP criteria. All eligible projects will then undergo a two part peer-review: first, a technical review by internal DFO and (or) when appropriate, external scientists, followed by a comprehensive review by a Regional ACRDP Committee, comprised of representatives from DFO, provinces, industry and others. The Committee will make recommendations to the Regional Director of Science, who has the authority for project approvals.

Proposals will be evaluated against the following criteria:

Technical Review

• The project has scientific merit.
• The project is original.
• The problem and objectives are well defined.
• There is a clear and sufficient description of the experimental methodology.
• The scientific approach is valid.
• The project team is qualified to conduct the work in a thorough and professional manner.

Comprehensive Review

• The project is consistent with the program objectives and regional industry R&D priorities.
• The project addresses a significant constraint to the Canadian aquaculture sector.
• The project contributes significantly to the advancement or competitiveness of the industry partner or sector.
• The project contributes to the skills and knowledge required to advance the industry partner.
• The project has sufficient industry input to generate potential practical benefits. This can include input from other funding partners, which is desirable and encouraged.
• The project facilitates technology transfer and (or) research commercialization through closer collaboration with the Canadian aquaculture industry.
• The project is cost effective.
• The overall project objective and methodology is described in a clear manner.

4. COLLABORATIVE ARRANGEMENT

The collaborative arrangement will consist of a formal agreement between the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the industry partner, and in some instances other funding partners. A schedule to the agreement will contain a detailed description of the Project (activities, deliverables, timeframes to be carried out by DFO and the industry partner under the agreement or by a third party under contract agreement to DFO and the industry partner), with estimated amounts to be expended on each activity. The agreement will set out the method and schedule of payment to DFO and reporting requirements. DFO will be authorized to transfer funding between budget items in consultation with the partner. A schedule listing categories of eligible expense including sources of funding from other than the program, will also be included as part of the agreement. If appropriate an Intellectual Property agreement will be negotiated.

5. CONTRIBUTIONS

A formula will be negotiated for each project, taking into account in-cash and in-kind contributions of both parties to the agreement. Industry cash contributions to a project will be managed through a DFO Specified Purpose Account (SPA). The minimum industry contribution is 30% of the ACRDP amount requested, at least 7.5% of which must be a cash contribution.

6. ELIGIBLE PROJECT EXPENSES

Expenses covered by ACRDP include:

• Wages and salaries plus associated required payroll benefits of project personnel (scientific and technical) or post-doctoral or graduate student support;
• Equipment directly related to the work;
• Laboratory and field supplies;
• Travel costs directly related to the goals of the project;
• Other expenses agreed to be necessary to the success of the project.

7. REPORTING

Industry and DFO partners will be required to provide progress reports at 6 months, annually, and a final report.

8. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

• All applications must conform to the application form and proposal guideline format.
• Budgets should be broken down into fiscal year increments. Details of budget line items need to be explained on a separate sheet.
• Applicants must declare other direct sources of funding for the project, whether in place, requested or anticipated to be requested, including sources from other government programs.
• The ACRDP will only be used to fund research and development projects.
• The ACRDP will not support projects on transgenic aquatic organisms.
• Although the validity and merit of an application will be the primary consideration in its review, the Regional ACRDP Committee may also consider amounts requested and the anticipated schedule of money flowing to the project in order to ensure that accepted projects do not exceed available funds.
• The Regional ACRDP Committees will rank all applications according to regional industry research and development priorities and national program objectives.
• The Regional ACRDP Committees will categorize applications as fully recommended, recommended with changes or conditions, or not recommended.

9. DEADLINES TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION ARE:

There will be two deadline dates for project proposal submission throughout the year: January 15, April 15. A subsequent round may be established in a particular region, if required. Notification will be provided at that time. Regional ACRDP Committees will review and evaluate proposals in a timely manner and final notification of the project assessment will be provided no later than 60 days after the deadline dates.

10. PLEASE SEND THE APPLICATION TO:

Download Application Form (PDF)

NOTE: The PDF form can be completed by inputting the information and then printing the form (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader). Adobe Acrobat Reader does not save the data you enter into the form fields. In order to save this form as a working copy Adobe Acrobat must be installed on your computer.

Alternate Formats:
MS Word | .rtf

Applicants wanting information or assistance on the ACRDP should direct their inquiries to the DFO Regional ACRDP advisors listed below. Also, please send application and proposal to the ACRDP advisor at the nearest Regional DFO Research Centre:

Newfoundland Region

Ben Davis
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre
80 East White Hills Road
P.O. Box 5667
St. John’s, Newfoundland A1C 5X1
Phone: (709) 772-0560
Fax: (709) 772-5315
Email: DavisB@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Maritime Region

Thomas W. Sephton
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Bedford Institute of Oceanography
1 Challenger Drive
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 4A2
Phone: (902) 244-6080
Fax: (902) 426-6695
Email: SephtonT@mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Gulf Region

Gilles Olivier
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Gulf Fisheries Centre
343 University Avenue
Moncton, New Brunswick E1C 9B6
Phone: (506) 851-2054
Fax: (506) 851-2079
Email: OlivierG@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Québec Region

Charley Cyr
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Institut Maurice Lamontagne
850 Route de la Mer
C.P. 1000
Mont-Joli, Québec G5H 3Z4
Phone: (418) 775-0825
Fax: (418) 775-0740
Email: Cyrch@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Central and Arctic Region

Doug Geiling
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
1 Canal Drive
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario P6A 6W4
Phone : (705) 942-2848
Fax : (705) 942-4025
Email : GeilingD@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Pacific Region

Jerry Corriveau
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
3190 Hammond Bay Road
Nanaimo, British Columbia V9R 5K6
Phone: (250) 756-7128
Fax: (250) 756-7141
Email: CorriveauJ@dfo-mpo.gc.ca