The open-net salmon farms that dot B.C.'s coastal water are spreading sea lice to wild stocks. But the alternative, land-based tanks, are too costly to operate at a commercial level.
A Campbell River aquaculture company may have found the happy medium that can make salmon farming sustainable and profitable: big floating tanks.
Agrimarine Industries is currently building a large tank, made of high-density foam and fiberglass, that will float in the waters of Middle Bay, off the southeast coast of Vancouver Island. The project is a compromise between land-based systems, which completely isolate farmed fish from the marine environment, and open-net marine systems, said director of operations Rob Walker.
Agrimarine did operate a land-based closed containment system in Cedar until 2005, but the technology was too expensive to be commercially viable, said Walker.
"At Cedar we were pumping uphill all the time with 75-horsepower motors," he said. "The whole closed system is very expensive, it requires high capital outlay and high maintenance and operations costs as well."
Walker said this technology allows water to flow through but captures waste and disposes of it on land. He said it "doesn't directly address the issue of sea lice," but will attempt to avoid infection by drawing water from deep down if necessary -- sea lice tend to congregate near the surface of the ocean.
Corey Peet, aquaculture specialist with the David Suzuki Foundation, said this approach to salmon farming is "definitely a good step forward, but we will have to see what the results are."
"In theory it's the right idea. I think it is likely a happy medium between land-based and open-net systems," he said. "If and when we find have a good solid example of sustainable farmed production, I think it's going to get a lot of support from NGOs."
The first tank -- which is 24 meters across and holds 3,000 cubic meters of water -- will likely be launched this July with at least four more tanks to follow, said Walker.
Colleen Kimmett is a Vancouver-based journalist who writes about science and the environment.
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Frank
3 years ago
Salmon farms
Farmed salmon should have to be sold without any colouring or anything else added to make them look better.
Jeffrey J.
3 years ago
Medium Not So Happy
The fish farm industry has never, ever admitted the facts surrounding their industrial food model. They typify the corporate/government model of social engineering: do what you want, ignore the science, ensure you have a compliant press, and carry on. This well practiced strategy has to obvious defects: it is completely undemocratic, and it destroys the environment. Citizens need to become more and more engaged so this business model can be removed.
Floating closed pens solves nearly nothing. All the costs of boating to and from the site remain; housing staff in lonely camps remain; processing tons of fish feces remains; feeding fish two pounds of protein to make one pound of fish remains. All are clearly unsustainable but the Campbell Liberal government refuses to blink.
Great coverage as per usual Tyee!
Illahie
3 years ago
Colouring Franks comments
Franks comments about colour brought back a old memory for me. The flesh of Spring salmon is normally a redish pink colour, but there are also white springs, where the flesh is as white in colour as a bottom fish such as ling cod.
There is no difference in taste or quality between red and white springs, but canneries did not pay very much for white springs because of public perception over the colour.
One Alaskan cannery did pretty well with the product though. The label said white spring, guaranteed never to turn red in the can.
Van Isle
3 years ago
How come the aqua-fishing
How come the aqua-fishing industry doesn't want to try fish ranching?
Gordon_Ramble
3 years ago
While the BC commercial fisherman and the environmentalists
While the BC commercial fisherman and the environmentalists were busy fighting each other over the past 15 years ... the overseas fish farmers snuck in the back door and established their fish farming industry, laughing all the way to the bank.
reallife
3 years ago
Say no to yellow oleo
While we are banning coloured fish lets also ban colouring in margarine.
tresfun
3 years ago
Happy Medium - land-based tanks are NOT too costly
What is too expensive?- Replacing wild salmon when they are killed-off by our sloppy fish farming practices and lax government regulations. Why do we not make these farmers pay for this significant environmental destruction? Why the lack of a policy and protection of our salmon heritage by Gordon Campbell? This is truly mind-numbing. With all the infrastructure money available it may be a GREAT time to spend money on land-based fish farms. Losing our wild salmon and the commercial and recreational econmic gifts they bring ot us year after year is too costly.
Maybe the existing fish farmers on Vancouver Island who use land-based tanks should be celebrated and there stories told. So that we can all see that this is not "too expensive".
Up on the east coast of Vancouver Island, a former commercial fisherman is proving that not all farmed fish are destoying our eco-systmes. On a 50-acre piece of land outside of Courtney, Barry Sjostrom runs Redfish Ranch, the first and only tilapia fish farm in Western Canada. “Farm” is certainly the appropriate word, since Redfish Ranch is an entirely land-based, freshwater operation.
David
tresfun
3 years ago
Who is Mr. Walker to say that land based tanks are too costly?
Anything that further depletes our wild salmon adds to the overall sad state of affairs of rhe global fish stocks. We must remind our politicians we cannot afford to lose these economic gifts. With quick action we can maintain these gifts year-after-year. Anything else is too costly.
A much happier medium might be to support our wild stocks through the promotion of existing ecologically sound fish farming practices in BC. On Vancouver Island there is an existing fish farm which is not destroying our ecosystems? Outside of Courtney is first and only tilapia fish farm in Western Canada. “Farm” is certainly the appropriate word, since Redfish Ranch is an entirely land-based, freshwater operation.
Perhaps with infrastructure money available it may be the right time to spend money on land-based fish farms. Perhaps successful P3s?
Active leadership could maintain our ocean's bio-diversity and reap the benefits of ecologically sound fish farming practices.
Let's work together to create a sound fisheries practice.
David