CANADIAN INITIATIVE FOR SUSTAINABLE MARINE FISHERIES

Canadian initiative for sustainable marine fisheries – The Government of Canada is making targeted investments in deploying clean technology solutions that will help fisheries related businesses in British Columbia (BC) become more clean, green and sustainable.

Just before Christmas the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced approximately $1.1 million in funding from the Fisheries and Aquaculture Clean Technology Adoption Program to support and accelerate clean economic growth.

Doug Routley, MLA for Nanaimo-North Cowichan and co-chair of BC’s Wild Salmon Advisory Council, from the Province of British Columbia also announced a contribution of $183,448 in funding towards these projects.

The Fisheries and Aquaculture Clean Technology Adoption program is a $20 million instrument that provides funding to help businesses incorporate clean technologies into their day-to-day operations. It is intended to accelerate the use of more sustainable and efficient tools, practices and techniques.

Commercial fisheries and aquaculture are important contributors to the Canadian economy. These sectors contribute approximately $4.5 billion annually in gross domestic product and provide thousands of jobs across our country — many in Indigenous, rural and coastal communities.
The 15 projects announced will help BC based fisheries and aquaculture businesses adopt greener practices that will improve energy efficiency, reduce waste and lessen climate change causing carbon dioxide emissions.

Projects include $424,219 in funding to Brown’s Bay Packing Co, which will prevent bacteria and viruses from fish processing waste from entering the marine environment, $74,437 to the Sport Fishing Institute of B.C. to support rockfish conservation, $43,488 to Taste of B.C. Aquafarms Inc to install a solar hot water system, eliminating fossil fuel consumption and reducing carbon emissions, over $100,000 to Sth’oqi aquaculture Ltd Partnership to install a machine to convert fish waste to fertilizer and low-carbon energy to power their land-based aquaculture facility, and almost $100,000 to Atchison Fishing Ltd to support a new efficient engine that will reduce fuel use and carbon emissions.