1. Explain do we need a permit to stock fish into natural waterways or impoundments?
Yes - a permit is required to stock fish into any public impoundment, natural waterway, river, billabong, lake, wetland, stream etc
2. Which species are grown in our country?
The main species grown in Canada are salmon, mussels, oysters and trout. Canada also produces steelhead, arctic char, Atlantic cod, sablefish, geoducks, Atlantic halibut, quahogs, white sturgeon, tilapia and scallops.
3. Tell me what educational courses are available for aquaculture?
There are a number of courses on aquaculture available, both through Universities and Fisheries Training Institutes like Entebbe Uganda.
4. Tell me is farmed fish really as healthy as wild fish?
EU legislation sets strict rules, including maximum levels for contaminants, to ensure that our food is safe. These limits are the same for both farmed and wild fish whilst a strict system of official controls ensures that only healthy food arrives on our tables whether it comes from the EU or from abroad.
5. How much does aquaculture contribute to our economy?
Our aquaculture industry generated $969 million in direct sales in 2006, and well over $1 billion in indirect value to the rural Canadian economy. Salmon accounts for approximately 80 percent of the industry's value.
6. Tell me why do we need aquaculture?
The output of the world's wild fisheries is either steady or declining, yet the human population continues to grow. Aquaculture already supplies half the world's seafood consumed by humans. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization forecasts a global seafood shortage of 50 - 80 million tonnes by 2030, and aquaculture will help meet that growing demand.
7. Tell us do we need a permit to stock our farm dam with fish?
No - a permit is not required provided that the farm dam is man-made and located on a private property, and the species to be stocked comply with all of the department's policy.
8. Do you know how are fish farmed?
Shellfish such as mussels and oysters are grown on ropes, poles or table-like structures. They require clean water to feed on the nutrients suspended in the water. Marine fish such as salmon and sea bass are farmed in large net pens suspended from the sea's surface. Freshwater fish such as trout are usually farmed in a series of tanks through which river water is diverted. Other freshwater fish such as carp are farmed in large lakes and ponds.
9. Explain how are predators controlled by aquaculture companies?
Most predators, which may include seals, birds of prey and raccoons, are protected by federal or provincial law. The most common control methods are barriers - such as nets, covers or building enclosures - auditory deterrents and removal. Firearms are used only as a last resort.
10. Do you know what are the major species farmed in the EU?
Approximately 50% of the aquaculture production in the EU is shellfish. Mussels and oysters are the most popular shellfish. Marine fish such as salmon, sea bream and sea bass represent about 27% of our fish farm produce whilst freshwater fish such as trout and carp account for 23% of fish farmed in the EU. The species farmed in the EU are very diverse and include clams, scallops, lobsters, and sturgeon (caviar). Algae production is a developing sector.
11. Tell us do we need a permit to conduct aquaculture?
Aquaculture as defined by the Fisheries Management Act does require a permit. There are different types of permit depending on the type of activity you are doing, covering everything from hatchery, fish out, land and lease based culture.
More information on the types of permits and the permit application process can be obtained from the department's web site or by talking to staff from the Aquaculture unit. If you only wish to produce fish in farm dams for your own consumption, an aquaculture permit is not required.
12. Explain what major challenges and problems did you face at your last position?
Our farm is located in the villages. It was very difficult to competent employees because of the location and the road leading to the farm.
13. Do you know what other methods besides coastal and enclosed tank systems are being used?
There are aquaponics farms that use wastewater from the fish tanks to fertilize crops while filtering the water. This essentially eliminates a lot of waste while creating a usable by-product. It's a very efficient way to recapture waste products and maximize profits.
14. Explain what is feed conversion ratio?
Feed conversion ratio (FCR) is calculated from the number of kilograms of feed used to produce one kilogram of fish. Feeding farmed fish is more efficient than feeding land-based animals, and the average FCR for farmed fish is close to 1:1.
15. Tell me is there a market for tilapia in our country?
Yes, there assuredly is. Tilapia is an internationally traded, high-quality commodity. It is by no means a 'trash fish', as is maasbanker, for example. Tilapia compares favourably with hake in the quality of its flesh and lends itself to preparation in many ways. The traditional rural market is for small, whole, wild-coloured fish of 100g to 300g. The urban end of the market is for red tilapia of 450g to 600g.
16. Explain are there any aquaculture associations or support groups?
Yes, there are a number of aquaculture associations that cover a wide range of aquaculture sectors.
17. Tell me what was your greatest accomplishment as an aquaculture farm manager?
Working with the poor strain but still getting the numbers required.
18. Explain are farmed salmon different from the wild salmon?
Farmed and wild salmon have the same ancestors, and are genetically very similar. Salmon farmers select fish that have demonstrated good performance in terms of health, flesh quality and growth, and use these fish as broodstock.
19. Tell me what kind of feed is given to farmed fish?
Different types of feeds, mainly distinguished by variations in pellet size, fat and protein content, are used according to the life stage of the fish. Many ingredients are the same as those used in the production of feed for domestic animals, and are all natural products, including oilseed meals, grain products, protein-rich meals of animal origin (fish, poultry), fish and plant oils. Farmed shellfish rely on natural food in the water for their growth, and are not given additional food.
20. Tell me how long does it take for the fish to grow for marketable size?
This is where gullible investors fall prey. Before you go into cat fish farming, make sure you know your market or better still make sure you know your buyers and what type of size they buy. For instance it will be difficult for you to get a buyer for a 500g fish if your market environments demands for a 1kg fish and vice versa. However, on average, you should be able to get a size aabout 1kg within 6 months PROVIDED you fed them well and they are raised with the best and healthy practices Read More
21. Do you know what type of fish is suitable for stocking into my farm dam?
Tilapia, Mirror carp are the most appropriate species for stocking.
22. Tell me have you ever had to fire anyone and then how did you feel about that?
I fired quite a number of people. I felt very bad.
23. Tell us are diseases spread from farmed to wild fish?
There is no evidence to indicate that disease outbreaks at salmon farms have resulted in any increase in diseases in wild salmon. Research indicates that farmed salmon are at a higher risk of contracting a disease from wild fish. The aquaculture industry is strictly regulated and has developed disease vaccines, alternative treatments and good production practices to further reduce the incidence and severity of disease impacts.
24. Explain is farmed salmon safe?
Yes. All salmon - wild and farmed - is considered a healthy food choice with proven health benefits. According to the US Department of Agriculture, farmed Atlantic salmon has higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids than any of the five species of wild Pacific salmon. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency tests farmed salmon for contaminants, pesticides and dioxins.
25. Tell me is it true that aquaculture can damage the environment?
Like any other human activity, aquaculture must be managed sustainable and responsibly. Like any kind of food producers, fish farmers are bound by environmental and health standards. The EU's environmental standards are among the strictest and most effective in the world. But fish farmers must also play a wider proactive role in protecting the environment: for instance aquaculture ponds help preserve important natural landscapes and habitats for wild birds and other endangered species.
Shellfish contribute to cleaner coastal waters by absorbing nutrients which could otherwise damage water quality when they are present in too high concentrations. Ultimately, sustainability is also good business and fish farmers are at the forefront in monitoring and protecting the environment to ensure that there is no damaging impact.
26. Do you know what is aquaculture?
Aquaculture is defined by the Fisheries Management Act as cultivating fish or marine vegetation for the purposes of sale, trade or barter.
Aquaculture is also known as Fish Farming, Fish Culture, etc
Aquaculture production can be extensive (basic, limited capital & management, low production), semi-intensive (in between extensive and intensive) and intensive (high capital & management, high level of control and high production rates)
27. Explain is fouling a problem on shellfish growout sites?
Yes. Shellfish farmers combat fouling by control, avoidance and prevention. Fouling organisms include barnacles, tunicates, tube worms, bryozoans, hydroids (a small branching organism related to jellyfish and sea anemones) and encrusting sponge. Fouling is avoided by using a fresh water or saline solution, pressure washing, timing production cycles, maintaining high growth rates and exposure to air.
28. Explain do salmon escape from farms?
Escapes have been dramatically reduced since the early 1990s, and have been estimated at well below one percent in every year since 1995. A farmed salmon that escapes into the wild is poorly adapted for survival, and only small proportions of escaped salmon survive. A small number of farmed salmon interbreeding with a wild population has little impact because only small amounts of new genetic material is being added, and natural selection continues to play a role.
Land based systems are very costly to operate because of the use of sophisticated machinery and also because large amounts of water have to be heated/chilled, pumped, filtered, etc. This can be very costly, which makes construction and operation of these kinds of systems challenging from an economic perspective. That said, there are people doing it for freshwater and saltwater fish and shrimp, so it's definitely possible.
30. Do you know how big is fish farming in the EU?
More than 80,000 people are already directly employed in European aquaculture, and this figure is expected to grow as more and more of our seafood is provided by EU fish farmers
European Union aquaculture produces around 1.25 million tonnes, more than 20 % of total EU fisheries production, with a total value of EUR 3.6 billion. Its share of total world aquaculture production is 1.5 % in terms of volume and just under 4 % in terms of value
The EU is also a major consumption market of seafood products in the world with 12.3 million tonnes consumed in 2011. Per capita EU consumption is 24.5 kg.
Seafood consumption varies a lot from one Member State to the other. Northern Member States are more focused on processed fish while Southern Member States still favour fresh products and devote a larger part of household expenditures to fish.
There are many regulatory barriers to aquaculture because the industry is regulated by 7 different agencies: FDA, EPA, USDA, US Army Corps of Engineers, FWS, NMFS and the US Coast Guard. The individual states also have authority over their coastal and inland waters. There is no comprehensive regulatory structure in place for the aquaculture industry-each agency has a piece of it and this makes it difficult to know where to go and what to do to be in compliance. Fish farmers don't have a problem with following the rules-the problem is the absence of clear, easy-to-understand regulations.
In terms of economic barriers, it is really difficult to get a loan to start a fish farm. The main problem is that fish have a long growth period before they can be harvested. It can be at least 6 months before the fish are ready to be harvested. Bankers are unlikely to finance because of a long turn around time. There are also no government incentives to subsidize aquaculture like there are for other agricultural industries. There are only grant programs for aquaculture research, and the amount of investment in aquaculture is minor relative to other agricultural enterprises.
32. Explain how are farmed and wild shellfish different?
Farmed and wild shellfish have the same ancestors. There is very little difference between wild and cultured shellfish, as shellfish seed were originally harvested - and are still harvested - from the wild. On the west coast, the species of oyster that is the basis of both the wild and farmed oyster industries is an introduced species from Japan that was brought to the West Coast around 1913. The native oyster of the northwest coast is now rarely found. Both wild and farmed shellfish are filter feeders that consume phytoplankton already in the ocean.
33. Do you know how is aquaculture regulated in our region?
The Canadian aquaculture industry is governed by a framework of 73 pieces of federal and provincial legislation. The location and day-to-day operations of all Canadian aquaculture facilities are regulated by six federal agencies: Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, Transport Canada, and Health Canada.
It is more challenging to trace the origin and quality of imported seafood. We import most of our seafood (close to 90%), and it's a huge volume to track and trace-that's just a fact of life. With domestic product you know exactly what you're getting, where it came from, and that it was raised according to strict standards to make sure the product is safe and healthy.
35. Explain what type of health and nutritional benefits are associated with shellfish consumption?
Shellfish are healthy sources of protein, rich in vitamins and minerals, and low in fat. They are also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.
