The Federal Role in Aquaculture in Canada
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HOUSE OF COMMONS CANADA THE FEDERAL ROLE IN AQUACULTURE IN CANADA REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES AND OCEANS Tom Wappel, M.P. Chair April 2003 The Speaker of the House hereby grants permission to reproduce this document, in whole or in part for use in schools and for other purposes such as private study, research, criticism, review or newspaper summary. Any commercial or other use or reproduction of this publication requires the express prior written authorization of the Speaker of the House of Commons. If this document contains excerpts or the full text of briefs presented to the Committee, permission to reproduce these briefs, in whole or in part, must be obtained from their authors. Evidence of Committee public meetings is available on the Internet http://www.parl.gc.ca Available from Communication Canada — Publishing, Ottawa, Canada K1A 0S9 THE FEDERAL ROLE IN AQUACULTURE IN CANADA REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES AND OCEANS Tom Wappel, M.P. Chair April 2003 STANDING COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES AND OCEANS CHAIR Tom Wappel VICE-CHAIRS Bill Matthews Peter Stoffer MEMBERS Andy Burton Dominic LeBlanc John Cummins Joe Peschisolido Rodger Cuzner Carmen Provenzano R. John Efford Yves Rocheleau Reed Elley Jean-Yves Roy Georges Farrah Bob Wood Loyola Hearn CLERK OF THE COMMITTEE Jeremy LeBlanc FROM THE RESEARCH BRANCH OF THE LIBRARY OF PARLIAMENT Alan Nixon François Côté Lorie Srivastava iii THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES AND OCEANS has the honour to present its THIRD REPORT Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee has studied aquaculture in Canada and is pleased to report as follows: v TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1 Terms of Reference.................................................................................................... 1 The Constitutional Distribution of Powers................................................................... 1 The Mandate and Role of Fisheries and Oceans Canada ......................................... 1 Background to the Study ............................................................................................ 3 PART 1 — AQUACULTURE IN CANADA ....................................................................5 Historical Development............................................................................................... 5 Regional Industry Development ................................................................................. 5 Industry Profile ........................................................................................................... 7 Exports ....................................................................................................................... 9 Employment ............................................................................................................. 11 Projected Growth...................................................................................................... 11 Recent Initiatives ...................................................................................................... 13 1999 British Columbia Salmon Farm Siting Policy............................................13 2000 Program for Sustainable Aquaculture in Canada.....................................13 2000 New Brunswick Bay of Fundy Marine Aquaculture Site Allocation Policy................................................................................................14 2002 British Columbia Salmon Aquaculture Policy...........................................14 2002 DFO Aquaculture Policy Framework........................................................ 14 2002 Quebec Draft Bill on Aquaculture ........................................................... 14 Studies on Aquaculture ............................................................................................ 15 The 1997 Salmon Aquaculture Review ............................................................15 December 2000 Report of the Auditor General of Canada............................... 16 2001 Report of the Aquaculture Commissioner ................................................ 16 2001 Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries.......................... 17 November 2001 Leggatt Inquiry Into Salmon Farming in British Columbia ...... 17 November 2002 and January 2003 Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council Advisories ...................................................................... 17 PART 2 — KEY ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS..............................................19 The Federal Role in Aquaculture.............................................................................. 19 Current Legislative and Regulatory Environment ............................................. 19 vii A Federal Aquaculture Act................................................................................20 Federal Aquaculture Regulations (general principles) .....................................22 Jurisdiction and Enforcement ...........................................................................24 Clarification of Roles and Responsibilities of Federal and Provincial Governments ....................................................................................................25 Office of the Commissioner for Aquaculture Development ............................... 26 Siting and Coastal Zone Management .............................................................28 PART 3 — ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF AQUACULTURE................................33 Fish Escapes............................................................................................................ 33 Colonization ......................................................................................................34 Genetic Interactions..........................................................................................36 Fish Health ............................................................................................................... 38 Infectious Salmon Anaemia ..............................................................................41 Sea Lice............................................................................................................42 Biological Wastes..................................................................................................... 44 Reduction of the Environmental Effects of Aquaculture ........................................... 49 Sustainability ............................................................................................................ 50 Human Health .......................................................................................................... 52 Proposed Federal Support of Aquaculture ............................................................... 57 Research ..........................................................................................................57 Financial Support..............................................................................................58 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................61 LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................63 APPENDIX A — LIST OF WITNESSES .....................................................................71 APPENDIX B — LIST OF BRIEFS .............................................................................79 REQUEST FOR GOVERNMENT RESPONSE ........................................................... 83 DISSENTING OPINIONS — Canadian Alliance........................................................85 — Bloc Québécois ...........................................................87 SUPPLEMENTARY OPINION — New Democratic Party .........................................91 DISSENTING OPINION — John Cummins, M.P.......................................................97 MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS.................................................................................117 viii INTRODUCTION Terms of Reference On 30 November 1999, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans agreed by unanimous consent to the following: “That the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans undertake a comprehensive study of fin fish aquaculture commencing in January 2000.” The Constitutional Distribution of Powers Section 91 of the Constitution Act, 1867, gives to the Parliament of Canada legislative authority over Seacoast and Inland Fisheries (12) and Navigation and Shipping (10). The Mandate and Role of Fisheries and Oceans Canada The Department of Fisheries and Oceans was established by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Act, which assigns to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans responsibility for all matters over which Parliament has jurisdiction and which is not assigned to any other department, board, or agency of the Government of Canada relating to: • Sea coast and inland fisheries; • Fishing and recreational harbours; • Hydrography and marine sciences; and • The coordination of the policies and programs of the Government of Canada respecting oceans. Subsection 40(1) of the Oceans Act assigns to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans responsibility for all matters over which Parliament has jurisdiction, and which is not assigned to any other department, board, or agency of the Government of Canada, relating to the policies and programs of the Government of Canada respecting oceans. Under subsection