The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has provided the most up to date science on the interaction between wild and farmed salmon and the environmental consequences of poor industry standards. As well, the department has provided both industry and government with strategies that reflect a thorough review of existing practices and conveys recommendations that will ensure, if implemented, the aquaculture industry grows in an environmentally friendly and economically sustainable manner.

It is a major concern the Government of Canada has opted to provide financial resources to the Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans to voluntarily accept responsibility for the Aquaculture Commission. It will be interesting to see whether an agency that has a constitutional mandate to protect fish and fish habitat, can manage a branch that is reputed to be a leading cause of pollution and the speread of disease in the marine and freshwater environment.

The growth in the aquaculture industry, with the lure of rural economic opportunities, and the decline in wild Atlantic salmon stocks has resulted in this new industry being subjected to great scrutiny. In hindsight, had we subjected all new industries to the same scrutiny, we may not be witnessing the extinction of the wild Atlantic salmon.

In response, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans has addressed this issue on two fronts. The first was a symposia hosted in 1999 to catalogue all data/information available on the interaction between wild and farmed salmon.

The second action was in response to an effort to amend the protocols governing the Introduction and Transfers of Salmonids by the Scientific Working Group of the North American Commission (United States and Canada). The North American Commissions is a partner in the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization.

The proposed amendments were in response to industries efforts relax the regulations prohibiting the use of non-native strains in salmon farming. The industry has expressed concerns that it can not compete without introducing non-natives strains.

In response, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans formed a Scientific Review Committee to review stakeholder input into proposed amendments to the protocols governing the Introduction and Transfers of Salmonids. The results of the Scientific Review Committee were presented at the recent Atlantic Salmon Advisory Committee meetings hosted by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Montreal in January, 2000.

The question now is whether or not our elected leaders and financial institutions will heed the cautions and demand the implementation of the recommendations as outlined in the research conducted by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Furthermore, will competition in the market place dictate the direction industry takes, or, will industry opt to develop a "green product".

The following is a synopsis of the proceedings of the recent Atlantic Salmon Advisory Committee meetings hosted by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Montreal in January, 2000.

Atlantic Salmon Stock Status Report - 2000

Short Term Prospects

• in the rivers of the Bay of Fundy and Atlantic coast of NS, there is near zero chance of meeting conservation requirements in 2000 - in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, conservation requirements are expected to be exceeded throughout the Gulf NS rivers and rivers of northern NB. - there is no chance of meeting conservation on the Southwest Miramichi in 2000. There is a modest chance (<40%) of meeting conservation in the northwest Miramichi.

Long Term Prospects

• juvenile levels remain high in the Gulf NS rivers
• juveniles in the two monitored rivers of the inner Bay of Fundy rivers have declined to record low levels as a direct consequence of poor spawning escapement. - in the Atlantic coast of NS rivers, juveniles remain low although annual variations in abundance have been noted.

Impacts of Aquaculture
Source : Interaction between Wild and Farmed Atlantic Salmon in the Maritimes Provinces , Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans, Habitat Status Report 99/1 E

Factors Potentially Affecting Wild Salmon Abundance

• " Freshwater production is significantly constrained in the Bay of Fundy and Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia by inefficient fish passage and various forms of habitat degradation"
• "Fish passage constraints at hydroelectric dams impact on both smolts migrating to sea and adults returning in at least seven rivers of the Bay of Fundy and Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia".
• " Acid rain is severely impacting salmon production in the Southern Upland (Atlantic coast) of Nova Scotia".
• " Other habitat constraints impacting on freshwater production include land use practices associated with intensive agriculture and other forms of development, and water use practices both at hydroelectric generating facilities and for municipal use"

What are the Scientifically Based Options for Mitigation?

Improved Containment
" ... draft DFO document entitled "Code of Practice for the Containment of Non-local Strains of Salmonids in Sea Cage Culture in the Atlantic Provinces", which proposes standards for nets, cages and moorings, outlines handling standards and suggests contingency measures ... This document was drafted in April 1997 in consultation with provincial authorities, industry, manufacturers and insurers".

Selective Siting of Farms and Hatcheries
" The siting of cages for grow out of adult salmon and for the acclimation purposes within salmon rivers or near their mouths should be avoided because complete containment is not feasible and even if achieved, would not eliminate the risks of ecological interaction or disease transmission between farmed and wild salmon"

Use of Local Strains
" Limiting the use of aquaculture strains to those derived from local stocks of wild salmon continues to be advocated to safeguard the gene pool of wild Atlantic salmon stocks potentially impacted by salmon escaping from either hatcheries or marine farms. The use of European strains continues to be prohibited unless complete containment can be guaranteed" (SEE ABOVE .. containment is not feasible)

Sterilization
" Genetic containment of fish can be achieved in two ways: individuals can be contained , to their genetic material can be contained through sterilization (the process of inducing triploidy). ... optimum rearing requirements have yet to be determined for triploids."

Production of Healthy Farmed Salmon
" Maintaining healthy farmed fish will ultimately reduce the potential risk of disease transfer to wild fish."

Recapturing Escapees
" Recapturing of escapees can be an effective means for reducing the numbers of escapees at large and any success would benefit the wild stocks... Contingency plans to recapture escapees should be investigated."

Enhanced Training and Education
"Enhanced training, education and possible certification of aquaculture workers in fish culture practices and related technology should result in improved efficiency of operations , production of healthier fish and fewer escapees from mishaps during routine husbandry. Increased awareness of the potential consequences of salmon escaping from hatcheries and farms should reduce the number of escapees."

Reporting Escapees
"Protocols for reporting are under discussion and need be activated to benefit both the farming industry and the wild stocks. Reporting escapees would serve to identify operations and locations where the numbers of salmon escaping are excessive."

More Vigorous Enforcement
"Monitoring and rigorous enforcement of licensed activities and existing regulations is essential to ensure the protection of the wild salmon and other fisheries resources. One example requiring immediate attention is the reported presence of aquaculture -origin juvenile salmon downstream of commercial salmon hatcheries on rivers with wild salmon runs. A second example is the need to enforce license conditions pertaining to the genetics (stock origin) of the fish being transferred."

Blocking River Entry
"Blockage with counting fences is advocated for all rivers with unique stocks in which escapees are found to compromise a significant portion of the total run."

Gene Banking
" Because of critically low stock levels , live banking of genes has been initiated on one inner Bay of Fundy river in each of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia."

Management Considerations

• Improving containment, starting with the development and implementation of Codes of Practice, including contingency plans and a reporting system for escapees
• Improving fish health management, beginning with the completion of the major amendments to the Fish Health Protection Regulations and completion and implementation of provincial Codes of Practice, including contingency plans and a reporting system for specified diseases,
• Upgrading policy for introductions and transfers of fishes and improving related enforcement
• Enhancing education and training of aquaculture workers, particularly relative to containment and farm/hatchery management,
• Ensuring the maintenance of wild stocks at or above their conservation requirements,
• Continuing the use of local stocks as donors, where possible, for currently practiced aquaculture, or using other strains if rendered sterile or properly contained .. ((SEE ABOVE .. containment is not feasible)
• Incorporating risk analysis into the review process for siting hatcheries and farms.

Research Recommendations

• Developing risk analysis methodologies and applying them to assess potential impacts on wild salmon stocks
• Investigating interactions between wild and farmed salmon in marine and freshwater environments, and determining the impacts on wild salmon
• determining the behavior and fate of salmon escaping from the marine farms.
• Developing and testing engineering and design information to improve containment in both marine farms and freshwater hatcheries
• Developing technology for producing sterile salmon suitable for farming
• Accelerating genetic improvement of local aquaculture salmon strains using molecular technology
• Upgrading fish health information and procedures (particularly pertaining to wild fish health status, mechanisms of disease transfer and diagnosis)