— March 1, 2021 —
And what’s more: salmon farming in Atlantic Canada produces 323 million meals every year, employs 8,000 people and generates $2 billion in total economic output.
Well done us, Atlantic Canada!
A recent CBC commentary (The Atlantic bubble was not only a good idea, but a blueprint for dramatic change, January 16, 2021) hailed the success of Atlantic Canada’s handling of the COVID pandemic. Author Edward Riche wrote “the diversity within a region with many shared interests was a small engine” and he challenged our four provinces to continue to work together when COVID is behind us.
The article got me thinking about how underrated salmon farming is in Atlantic Canada as an engine for positive change. Our sector is a key socio-economic influencer, a vital contributor to regional and national food security, and a way to fight climate change.
Atlantic Canada has built a salmon farming sector that’s uniquely our own. Though each province is distinct when it comes to the waters where we farm and each manages its own aquaculture sector, Atlantic Canada has forged ahead together by focusing on the shared goal of building a sustainable industry that supports coastal communities and brings spectacular seafood to tables around the world.
Recognized as essential workers early on in the COVID crisis, salmon farmers adapted quickly to the pandemic restrictions and have never stopped putting healthy, sustainable protein on tables. Riche mused about the possibilities of Atlantic Canada doing much more to feed itself – “Eatlantic”. I love that term, and will point to the 323 million meals per year of fresh and affordable salmon farmed right in our waters! It’s time for farmed salmon to take a place of pride at our bountiful Atlantic Canadian table that is already overflowing with excellent offerings like apples, beef, potatoes, oysters, lamb and lobster.
The United Nations has identified farming the ocean as one of five priorities to address climate change. It’s sad but true that ocean systems around the world are under stress from long-term human activities such as overfishing, source and non point sources of pollution, climate change and microplastics. By using both marine and freshwater resources in the most efficient way, farmed salmon spend a relatively short period of time in the ocean environment. That helps to make salmon farming one of the best ways to feed the world’s growing population with a minimal environmental footprint. Jacques Cousteau was absolutely right when he said more than 50 years ago that we need to stop harvesting the oceans and start farming them.
Like him, the Atlantic Canadian entrepreneurs, government officials, researchers and conservationists who started the industry forty years ago could see the possibilities ahead; they could see what collaboration, ingenuity, good science and hard work could bring to Canada’s east coast. We’ve become leaders in the global salmon farming community, and now more than ever, our farmers remain focused on the future and the potential that our sector could bring to the place we call home.
I, for one, hope Jacques Cousteau’s vision will continue to evolve. We know ocean farming will play a critical role in Canada’s new Blue Economy. Atlantic Canada and its talented people will be a big part of that. Check out the new interactive map on our website to find out more.
I challenge you to get to know this industry better and find out why one of the greatest marine conservationists of our time shared our same vision so long ago.
