UPDATE: The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has advised that deadline for public comments has been extended to Friday, Feb. 12 from the original date off Jan. 15.
There is just one more week to have your say on what Canada's first Aquaculture Act should look like.
The deadline for public comments is Jan. 15, through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Development of an aquaculture act has been on the federal government's agenda since 2015, when the Senate Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans pointed out the need for Canada-wide legislation for the aquaculture sector in its report “An Ocean of Opportunities".
Aquaculture is regulated Canada’s Fisheries Act and by individual provinces, sometimes involving multiple departments.
The aquaculture industry, through the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) has said rules and regulations governing aquaculture need to be streamlined.
Timothy Kennedy, president of the CAIA, told SaltWire in a 2020 interview that the number of departments, federal and provincial, involved in regulating the industry can be cumbersome and confusing.
He said Canada is the only aquaculture producing nation without a stand-alone Aquaculture Act.
In December, 2018, at a meeting of the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (CCFAM), federal, provincial, and territorial ministers confirmed support for a federal Aquaculture Act of “limited scope that respects federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions, and provides greater clarity to the sector.”
Through 2019 the federal fisheries department held meetings across Canada to gather input from industry, Indigenous people and interest groups to craft a discussion document.
In August, 2020, the department opened up the discussion to the public again.
READ THE DISCUSSION BELOW OR CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
Aquaculture Act Discussion ...
Written comments can be made until Jan. 15 via regular mail or email:
Aquaculture Management Directorate
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
200 Kent St (10th floor)
Ottawa ON K1A 0E6
