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 COABC Standards Review Aquaculture Subcommittee
The COABC Standards Review Aquaculture Subcommittee is posting the following list of questions that we would like comments on. This list was generated informally shortly after the Aquaculture Forum and represents questions that the committee members and organic community brought forward at that time. We invite comments and information (answers would be nice) on these questions to help us in our deliberations.
The COABC Standards Review Committee Aquaculture Working Group is seeking input on the following questions regarding salmon and shellfish aquaculture prior to formulating a second working draft of the aquaculture standards. These questions pertain to the development of organic standards only, rather than to aquaculture generally. For many of these questions, it must be recognized that there are no clear-cut answers. Diverse opinions are both anticipated and welcome.
We would appreciate getting a first round of comments on these questions by December 15, 2003. We will use the comments we receive in the formulation of a second draft, but there will be comment periods after the second draft, so please continue to post comments, and watch the forum for additional information.
[You may find it easier to copy and paste all or selected questions into your e-mail or word-processing software. Alternatively you can click here to download the MS Word (.doc) version - 39k - Cyber-Help]
AQUACULTURE QUESTIONS
SHELLFISH
- Water Quality - Given your experience in or knowledge of culturing shellfish, are the marine water quality standards adequately ensured by current provincial and federal policies and legislation (see pg. 20-25 @ http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/fisheries/Shellfish/FinalCOPSubmission%2002July03.pdf). Are additional controls necessary and, if so, what do you think they should be?
- Siting - Should there be well-defined separation requirements from pollution sources (such as pulp mills, city or urban sewage outfalls, fuelling docks, etc.)? If so, how would these pollution sources be defined and what distances would you recommend? Refer to link above for current regs.
- Density - Do you think that shellfish health and/or the carrying capacity of a shellfish growing area would be well-served by mandatory limits on shellfish density? What would these limits be, and would they apply to the culture operation or the culturing area as a whole?
- Substrate - What, if any, modification of substrate should be allowed in organic shellfish culture (i.e. gravelling beaches, removing rocks, predator nets, etc.)?
- Materials - Which construction/flotation materials should/should not be allowed (i.e. PVC, non-food grade/food grade plastics, Styrofoam, etc.)?
- Hatchery - If organic larvae/spat was required for organic culture, how much time would be optimal for phasing in of this requirement? Before phasing it in, is requiring 99% biomass gain under organic management feasible? Do you think that is adequate for organic status?
- What should be the restrictions regarding use of lights, generators, and 2 cycle vs. 4 cycle outboards on an organic operation?
SALMON
- Fishmeal: Should exceptions be allowed to the traditional requirement of 100% organic feed inputs? If fishmeal from wild fisheries was allowed, should it be subject to restrictions? What restrictions would you recommend? Should only by-products of fish caught for human consumption be allowed in organic feed? Would it be feasible to require that by-products come from a sustainable, local fishery for human consumption? Should testing of feed for contaminants be required?
- Alternative proteins: Should vegetarian feeds be encouraged/required as they become available and are shown to be adequate for fish health? What other alternatives could be pursued, if any, for "organic" feed, other than the fishmeal/organic grain pellet?
- Water Quality - What should be the requirements regarding a farm's distance from pollution sources (mills, sewage outfalls, etc)? How would these sources be defined and what distances would you recommend (provide rationale)? Should there be requirements regarding minimum current speed or other factors?
- Siting - Do you think the existing provincial siting requirements are adequate for an organic standard? (see this MAFF page for the siting criteria) If not, what other factors should be considered for siting farms, and why?
- Should the entire farming process be subject to organic inspection and certification (i.e. hatchery, transport, grow-out, processing)? If not, which stages should require certification? Is a requirement for 99% biomass gain under organic management reasonable if the hatchery phase is not certified?
- What should be the maximum stocking density allowed for Pacific salmon? According to what rationale? Is a density measure per cubic meter of pen volume or per square meter of surface area more appropriate?
- What criteria should be used for monitoring fish welfare?
- Should open or closed containment systems be favoured? According to what rationale?
- Should polyculture be encouraged or required in organic systems (i.e. culturing mussels or other filter-feeders on or near the salmon pens)? If it is required, within what timeframe? Is there a solid scientific argument for prohibiting polyculture?
- Are additional prescriptive fish health management standards desirable (other than those already in place generally, or proposed in the organic standards)? If so, what would they be?
- Should photoperiod manipulation be allowed (artificial lighting to extend the daylight, in hatcheries and/or grow-out sites)? If so, what should the restrictions be (indoor, outdoor, length of time, etc.)? Is there an good reason to allow photoperiod manipulation other than in the hatchery?
- What should be the requirements regarding slaughter? What anesthetics should be allowed? Should percussive stunning be required prior to bleeding-out?
- Should treatment of bloodwater be required prior to marine disposal? If so, what treatment do you recommend?
- Should mono-sex fish be allowed in organic production? Why/why not?
- What do you think are the best methods to reduce or mitigate against the risks of disease transfer between wild and farmed fish (in an organic system)?
- Provided Pacific species are used in organic culture, what is the best way to mitigate against risks to wild stocks from escaped salmon (double netting, re-capture protocols, monosex, triploidy, solid containment walls, land-based, etc.)?
Links to additional material:
Opinion: Canadian study that will compare farmed and wild salmon is by definition seriously flawed because fish farming is not sustainable - 07 Feb 2003
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