Parliament needs to write national fish-farming rules, says federal committee

VANCOUVER – Members of a federal fisheries committee say it may be technically possible to raise salmon in tanks in the ocean and on land, but questions linger about doing so economically.

The comments were included in a report released by the House of Commons’ standing committee on fisheries and oceans, which agreed to study closed-containment salmon aquaculture in October 2011.

Closed-containment salmon farms isolate fish from the natural environment instead of raising them in open-net pens in the ocean.

Committee members say the government and industry should look at ways to make it more financially viable to raise salmon in tanks and also look at creating a dedicated fund for demonstration projects.

They say Parliament should also develop a national policy and rules for the salmon-farming industry, including an aquaculture act.

Committee members developed the recommendations after hearing evidence during meetings, including in Washington, D.C. and West Virginia, between October 2011 and March 2012