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ABOUT...
ACROSS CANADA
AND...
RESOURCES
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ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
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Government of Canada
Within the federal government, there are 17 departments and agencies have
a direct influence on aquaculture development. The federal role in
aquaculture encompasses:
- Research
- Technology Transfer
- Training and Development
- The Regulatory Framework
- Environmental Sustainability and Interaction
- Product Safety and Inspection
- Foreign Market Intelligence and Trade Services
- Access to Financing
- Communications
Click here for more
information on the specific responsibilities and activities of the 17
federal departments and agencies with respect to aquaculture.
Provincial governments are generally responsible for:
- Issuing licenses and permits
- Regulating farm activities, including escapes, waste management, and
aspects of aquatic animal health that are of provincial concern.
DFO's Role
DFO is the lead federal agency for aquaculture. DFO is responsible for
administering, monitoring and enforcing compliance with its regulations
relating to conservation and protection, environment and habitat protection
(Fisheries
Act - sections 35 (1) (2); 36) and aquatic animal health (Fish
Health Protection Regulations) in a clearly defined and consistent
manner.
DFO is also responsible for helping to improve the business climate for
aquaculture by:
- ensuring that DFO's laws and regulations relating to aquaculture are
clear, efficient, effective, consistently applied and relevant to the
sector;
- investing in aquaculture science and research development;
- working in partnership with the provinces and territories to develop a
proactive process for site approvals; and
- considering support for industry development programs consistent with
DFO's mandate and objectives.
In addition to actions relating to its departmental mandate, as lead
federal agency for aquaculture, DFO's role also includes:
- co-ordinating and bringing increased coherence to federal aquaculture
policy and program development; and
- helping to brand Canada as a world leader in sustainable aquaculture
development.
DFO Management Structure for Aquaculture
To fulfil its responsibilities as lead federal agency for aquaculture DFO
has developed an organisational framework aimed at effectively co-ordinating
DFO's involvement in sustainable aquaculture development and engaging other
federal departments, provincial and territorial governments, and industry
and aquaculture stakeholders.
Aquaculture Management Directorate
The Aquaculture Management Directorate (AMD) manages the aquaculture file
at the national level. AMD's mandate is to bring departmental focus and
strategic direction to the aquaculture file.
The AMD Mission:
To create the conditions for a vibrant and innovative Canadian
aquaculture industry -- one that is environmentally and socially responsible,
economically viable and internationally competitive for the benefit of all
Canadians.
Specifically, AMD's mandate includes:
- Coherent Policy Framework: Lead the
development and implementation of the
Aquaculture Policy Framework and supporting operational policies for
DFO, with a view to ensuring broad regional and sectoral
integration/co-ordination; working towards ensuring there is strong
integration of the aquaculture file into the department's plans and
priorities and other policy frameworks.
- Improved Regulatory Framework: Development
of an enabling regulatory framework for aquaculture, including:
- clarification of DFO's laws and regulations respecting aquaculture
development;
- harmonisation of DFO's laws and regulations respecting aquaculture
development with those from provinces and territories; and
- leadership with regard to improving/amending federal regulations
relating to aquaculture development.
- Program Development & Co-ordination:
Implementation of the Program for Sustainable Aquaculture ($15 million
annually) and the identification and development of other targeted
industry development programs, such as the National Aquatic Animal Health
Program (NAAHP).
- Federal-Provincial Harmonization:
Leadership, through the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Ministers (CCFAM) Aquaculture Task Group and other federal-provincial
mechanisms, in establishing a harmonised federal-provincial policy and
regulatory approach to aquaculture development.
- Effective Communications: Establishing
mechanisms to reach aquaculture stakeholders, listening to and acting on
their concerns, and contributing to an informed public dialogue by
providing factual information about aquaculture challenges and
opportunities.
- International Leadership: Participation in
key international aquaculture policy and research fora with a view to
sharing Canadian expertise and values and maintaining Canada's leadership
in sustainable aquaculture development.
Regional Aquaculture Co-ordination Offices
Regionally, aquaculture issues are managed by Regional Aquaculture
Co-ordination (RAC) offices. The RACs provide a regional focal point for DFO
staff, provinces, industry and other stakeholders on a range of aquaculture
issues. The RAC officers are responsible for:
- Co-ordinating the site application process, including liasing with
industry proponents, provinces, non-government environmental organisations
and the general public;
- Regional policy and program development, administration and
evaluation, including the implementation of the Program for Sustainable
Aquaculture, and the Aquaculture Policy Framework;
- Advice to senior DFO management; and,
- Stakeholder liaison.
Click here to find the name and contact information of the RAC in your
region.
DFO Sectors
Each departmental sector has some role to play in facilitating the
department's interests in aquaculture. Some of the key sector roles include:
Science
The mission of Aquaculture Science is to conduct research and to transfer
the latest technologies to the rapidly growing aquaculture industry. DFO
scientists monitor and carry out research on the interactions between wild
and cultured finfish and shellfish stocks. They are also responsible for
implementing regulations and carrying out inspections to ensure the health
of Canada's wild and cultured fisheries resources.
Oceans (Habitat Management Branch)
Within the Oceans Sector, Habitat Management Branch reviews proposals for
the establishment of salmon farms to determine and address potential impacts
on fish and fish habitat, as per section 35 of the
Fisheries Act
and
DFO's Policy for the Management of Fish Habitat. During the course of
these reviews, if impacts to fish habitat are likely and these cannot be
avoided through relocation, redesign and mitigation, proponents will be
required to obtain an authorisation under subsection 35(2) of the Fisheries
Act or have their applications rejected. DFO determines whether an
authorisation should be issued based upon acceptability of the impacts to
fish habitat and acceptability of the fish habitat compensation.
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management
Fisheries Resource Managers play an important role when considering the
use of fisheries resources. In relation to aquaculture, these considerations
include conservation of the wild fish resource, sustainable harvesting
practices, potential impacts on socio-economic aspects of fisheries (such as
access to an area for fishing or the allocation of fish in a given area),
and access to potentially contaminated sites under the Canadian Shellfish
Sanitation Program (CSSP).
The role of Fisheries Resource Managers is also to ensure a fully
integrated approach to managing all fisheries.
Policy
The Policy Sector at DFO provides leadership and support across the
department in the areas of strategic planning, economic and policy analysis,
legislative and regulatory matters, intergovernmental relations, and Cabinet
and Parliamentary Affairs. Taking this corporate perspective, the Policy
Sector is gradually shifting away from dealing with sector-specific policy
concerns and is placing a greater emphasis on issues that involve several
departmental sectors. Aquaculture is a prime example of such a file.
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