Aquaculture, or farmed seafood, has the potential to become a viable solution to the increasing demand placed on our oceans — but to do so, this “blue revolution” must ensure green practices.

Today, half our seafood comes from aquaculture, making it the world’s fastest-growing food production system. The sector’s exponential growth has experienced environmental and social challenges. However, technological solutions and science continue to progress. In most cases the industry can mature sustainably while minimizing its impacts, if the necessary policies and regulations are put in place to implement solutions.

Canada is currently developing its first ever Aquaculture Act, which will either support sustainable aquaculture methods or allow for further harm to come to marine environments. Read more here.

The Rise of Farmed Seafood

Aquaculture contributed 73.8 million tonnes of seafood to the global supply chain in 2014. The majority (89 per cent in 2014) originates from Asia, where farmed shrimp dominates production.

In Canada, approximately 187,000 tonnes of seafood was produced by aquaculture in 2015. Around two-thirds of this was farmed salmon.

How and What We Farm Matters

The production systems and farming methods used for farmed products contribute to their overall environmental impact.The species raised is equally important. For example, carnivorous fish and shrimp require commercial feeds made with wild fish, which can deplete their stocks, but farmed shellfish require no commercial feed at all.

Effective government policy and regulations, ecosystem or area-based management, and farm site best practices are all crucial in managing the environmental risks aquaculture can pose to our oceans and wild fish.

In scenarios where farming methods and/or management are inadequate, aquaculture systems can have negative consequences for wild species and the aquatic environment. Learn more about the sustainability considerations for farmed seafood and what can be done to mitigate them.