West Coast Aquatic Management Board

April 2014

Aquaculture Resource Management March Klaver

1) The application process for aquaculture licences•Aquaculture Program Overview

– Office Locations & Staff Structure

•BCARP Policy Framework– Aquaculture Policy Framework – Sustainable Aquaculture Fisheries Framework– Integrated Aquaculture Management Plans and Aquaculture

Management Advisory Processes

•Aquaculture Licensing Process– Flow Chart & Decision-Making Framework– Opportunities for Public/Industry input

2) Aquaculture production in the Barkley Sound area

Presentation Overview

• In 2009, B.C. Supreme Court rules that only the federal government has the authority to regulate the fisheries aspects of aquaculture in the province.

• As a result, DFO receives a Cabinet mandate to move forward with new regulatory regime – BC Aquaculture Regulatory Program.

• On December 19, 2010 the Pacific Aquaculture Regulations came into effect giving DFO the authority to regulate all fishery aspects of aquaculture in BC including finfish, shellfish, freshwater and enhancement facilities.

• Currently, there are 115 Marine Finfish, 454 Shellfish and 78 Freshwater/Land-based Licences issued under PAR.

More information on the Pacific Aquaculture Regulations can be found at: http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/SOR-2010-270.pdf

Background

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Fisheries Management

Aquaculture Management Division

AquacultureResource

Management

AquacultureEnvironmental

Operations

AquaculturePrograms

Program Overview

AquacultureConservation &

Protection

Communications

Licensing

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Aquaculture Environmental Operations •Fish health, environmental monitoring and compliance, sea lice management, benthic monitoring and reporting, marine mammal interactions, escapes, information for public reporting, analysis of compliance data, vessel operations

Aquaculture Resource Management •IMAPs and advisory process, aquaculture licensing (harmonized approach, referrals), Conditions of Licence, bilateral consultation and engagement (First Nations, industry, local government), data management, analysis and reporting

Aquaculture Programs •Aquaculture governance (internal/external), overall consultation approach, litigation management/coordination, Introductions and Transfers (I&T), science coordination and liaison, industry development, DFO integration, operational policy development (e.g. geoduck, sea cucumber)

AMD Pacific Teams, Key Roles and Responsibilities

BCARP Offices• Vancouver

– Regional DFO Headquarters• Nanaimo

– Aquaculture Resource Management, Licensing & C&P

• Courtenay– Aquaculture Environmental

Operations (Shellfish, Freshwater/Land-based & Fish Health)

• Campbell River– Aquaculture Environmental

Operations (Marine Finfish) and C&P

• Port Hardy– Aquaculture Resource

Management.

Aquaculture Policy Framework– Lead federal agency for aquaculture development– Sets out policy principles such as:

• Integrated Management• Ecosystem approach• Transparency• Respect constitutionally protected Aboriginal and treaty rights • Aquaculture is a legitimate use of land, water and aquatic

resources• Work with other federal departments and with provincial and

territorial governments to coordinate policy development, integrate regulatory frameworks, and improve service delivery

BCARP Policy Framework

Sustainable Aquaculture Fisheries Framework (SAFF)– SAFF ensures consistency with other fisheries and with

overall DFO directions and policies– Largely parallels the Sustainable Fisheries Framework

(SFF), adapting SFF approaches to reflect aquaculture specificities (i.e. IMAP vs IFMP)

– Integrated Management of Aquaculture Plans (IMAPs) for Marine Finfish, Shellfish and Freshwater sectors & associated advisory processes (Aquaculture Management Advisory Committees AMACs) form one element of the SAFF.

BCARP Policy Framework

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IMAPs and AMACs• Integrated Management of

Aquaculture Plans (IMAPs) follow a similar structure and process to Integrated Fisheries Management Plans (IFMPs)

• There is final IMAP for marine finfish, and a draft one for shellfish, and the freshwater/land-based aquaculture IMAP is planned for 2015.

• Copies of the documents are available from IMAPs@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

• IMAPs outline management direction and objectives, with input from Aquaculture Management Advisory Committees (AMACs)

• There will be three Aquaculture Management Advisory Committees (AMACs): marine finfish, shellfish, and freshwater/land-based

• AMACS for SF and MF are now established. SF AMAC met June 27, 2013 and Jan 29, 2014. Next meeting for MF in Fall 2014.

• Committees will provide advice to DFO on development of Integrated Management of Aquaculture Plans

• Draft AMAC Structure: 7 industry licence holders, 7 First Nations, 2 Industry association representatives , 2 local government representatives, 3 ENGO seats

• Aquaculture licence is required to “engage in aquaculture or prescribed activities”.

• Amendments to licences are required for:– Changes to cultured species– Changes to Infrastructure– Changes to Tenure/Culture area– Changes to Production

• New harmonized application and decision-making process developed between DFO, TC & MFLNRO (BC) for applications requiring two or more authorizations (i.e. BC Land Tenure, Aquaculture Licence and/or Navigable Waters Permit).

Aquaculture Licensing Process

Harmonized Application Process•DFO, TC and MFLNRO has developed a harmonized application form encompassing information necessary to apply for federal licensing under the Pacific Aquaculture Regulations, approval under the Navigation Protection Act (NPA), and Crown land tenure under the BC Land Act.•In addition DFO, TC and MFLNRO have developed “harmonized” processes for receiving and processing applications, and for a coordinated, but independent, approach to decision making.‐•As applicable, the federal and provincial agencies will coordinate the review and assessment of applications, including government agency referral responses, First Nation consultation and corresponding records, and public comments. •At the completion of the review process, each agency will make its own, independent decision under the relevant legislation.

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Roles & ResponsibilitiesFisheries and Oceans Canada

• Issues licences for marine and freshwater aquaculture, including hatcheries• Assesses modifications to existing aquaculture sites• Establishes conditions of licence to conserve and protect fish and fish habitat• Enforces new aquaculture regulations• Conducts aquaculture research programs• Reports publicly on environmental and regulatory performance of industry

Transport Canada

Transport Canada’s Navigation Protection Program (NPP) is responsible for the administration of the Navigation Protection Act and the Receiver of Wrecks Program

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Agency has jurisdiction over animal heath risks and plays an important role in minimizing and managing risk by protecting Canada's animals (including livestock, aquatic species and wildlife) from regulated diseases and from deliberate threats to the resource base. (e.g. NAAHP, etc.)

Provincial Government

Issuance of tenures for marine or freshwater environment• Regulates business aspects of aquaculture (e.g., workplace health and safety)• Reports on seafood exports

Harmonized Application Process

Aquaculture Licensing Process (Cont’d)

FCBC receives applications for New Sites and Amendments.

Complete applications forwarded to PRT

PRT members from DFO, TC and FLNRO.

Reviews and forwards acceptable applications to each Gov. Dept. for review.

Harmonized consultation & information sharing under development

If all decisions support licensing, then DFO Aquaculture Licence, Navigable Water Permit, and Land Tenure are issued simultaneously

Each Organization completes review under Pacific Aquaculture Regulations, Navigation Protection Act and/or BC Land Act, as appropriate

Aquaculture Licensing Process (DFO Review)

What are the file review considerations for amendments and new applications?

• Policy environment – is the application supported by approved policy or approaches?

• Stocks and conservation limits– are impacts to wild stock conservation likely?

• First Nations – are impacts on rights or asserted title likely? Are there any Treaty considerations?

• Other fishery users – are significant impacts to existing fisheries likely?

• Fish Habitat & Fish Health – are there environmental/fish health risks to mitigate (to ensure protection of fisheries)?

• Other special considerations – i.e. SARA, Science, etc

Aquaculture Licensing Process (DFO Review)

(1) New Licence or Amendment Applications Input can be received through BC website at

http://www.arfd.gov.bc.ca/ApplicationPosting/index.jsp and/or BC & TC public notices. Information received by any agency is shared between all agencies.

(2) IMAPS and AMACs (1) The Marine Finfish Integrated Management of Aquaculture Plan has

been approved(2) New advisory structure confirmed, the appointments are largely

complete to the Aquaculture Management Advisory Committee(3) AMAC meetings for Marine Finfish and Shellfish are biannual(4) AMAC meetings are public, and information about all meetings is

available on the DFO consultations webpage:http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/consultation/aquaculture/index-eng.html

Mechanisms for Public Input

• A key component of the British Columbia Aquaculture Regulatory Program (BCARP) is the provision of timely information and data on the environmental and operational performance of the aquaculture industry in B.C.

• Regular public reports on such things as sea lice levels, marine mammal interactions (seals, sea lions, etc.), incidental catch, benthic monitoring are posted to the DFO website. Information is provided by aquaculture facility operators as a requirement of conditions of licence.

• Public reporting allows British Columbians to have confidence in how the aquaculture industry operates and is regulated, and access to data allows for more informed decision-making for consumers.

Commitment to Reporting to the Public

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• General conditions of licence (COLs) apply to all Finfish facilities licensed under PAR.

• These conditions can be found online on the DFO Pacific Region Webpage: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/aquaculture/licence-permis/mar-eng.html

• The aquaculture licence and conditions of licence are designed to ensure the sustainable operation and development of finfish aquaculture.

• The COL includes sections on:– Production plan– Fish Transfers– Fish Health, Records and Reporting– Sea Lice, Records and Reporting– Escape Prevention– Incidental Catch– Management of Marine Mammal Interactions– Protection of Fish Habitat

Environmental Protection – General Conditions of Licence

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Section 2: Production Plan• Combined peak biomass cannot exceed that set out in licence.• Monthly submission of a seven month rolling inventory plan.

Section 3: Transfer of Fish• Only species of fish listed on licence can be transferred to marine facility

provided:– Transfers occur within the same salmonid transfer zone– There are no signs of clinical disease– If there are signs of disease a veterinarian conducts a risk

assessment and deems to the transfer to be low risk prior to transfer occurring.

Environmental Protection – General COLs Continued

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Section 5: Fish Health, Records and Reporting– The licence holder shall comply with a Fish Health Management Plan

– Have in place procedures for the management and disposal of fish carcasses

– Have in place a mass mortality procedure

– Take immediate action to minimise the spread of pathogens should a fish health event take place

– Keep up-to-date records of stocking and fish health activity

– Submit records of all fish health events and carcass management quarterly

.

Environmental Protection – General COLs Continued

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Section 7/8: Sea Lice Monitoring and Reporting– The licence holder shall follow a sea lice monitoring program set out in the

licence as follows:• From March 1 to June 30 complete sea lice sampling on Atlantic Salmon every two weeks

• From July 1 to February 28 complete sea lice sampling on Atlantic Salmon every month

• Conduct sea lice sampling on Pacific salmon at minimum, on a quarterly basis

– Submit monthly sea lice monitoring reports

Section 9: Escape Prevention– Have in place an Escape and Prevention Plan

– In the case of an escape take immediate corrective action and report incident

Environmental Protection – General COLs Continued

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Section 10: Incidental Catch

– Take actions to reduce risk of incidental catch through design and use of nets and other equipment

– Ensure live incidental catch are returned to waters outside of the aquaculture facility that causes the least amount of harm

– Maintain and submit records of incidental catch

Section 11: Marine Mammal Interactions– Have in place a Marine Mammal Interaction Management Plan– Use all reasonable methods to deter marine mammals from

coming into conflict with the operation

Environmental Protection – General COLs Continued

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Section 11: Marine Mammal Interactions cont.

– Notify Department of any accidental drowning within 24 hours of discovery or live entangled animal upon discovery

– Harbour seals and California Sea Lions (only) may be dispatched if they cannot be released and this must be reported to the Department immediately

Section 12: Protection of Fish Habitat– Maintain records of all in-situ biofouling– The licence holder shall comply with the benthic monitoring

program for both soft and hard ocean bottom substrates– Comply with all monitoring thresholds prior to restocking

Environmental Protection – General COLs Continued

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Section 12: Protection of Fish Habitat Cont.– If monitoring standards are exceeded subsequent monitoring to take place that

indicates pre-stocking standards are met– Harvest/transfer pens may be used in the same location for up to 90 days– Retain blood generated during harvest in the harvest vessel and dispose of at

licensed process facility– Prepare and implement a Chemical and Other Substances Management Plan– Ensure domestic sewage is treated prior to discharge– Submission of benthic peak biomass and, if required, pre-stocking reports– Submission of annual report on feed usage and names of substances directly

or indirectly release into the water including disinfectants, anti-fouling agents and pesticides

Environmental Protection – General COLs Continued

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Status of fish farms in Barkley Sound

Licensed Fish Farms– Omega Pacific

• Jane Bay– Authorised Peak Biomass - 475 tonnes– Licensed Species: Atlantic Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon,

Pacific Halibut, Rainbow Trout, Sablefish and Sockeye Salmon– Production Status: Ongoing, presently culturing Sablefish– Benthic monitoring occurred twice in past two years

» Unique bathymetry» Natural levels of free sulphide above benthic thresholds

Status of fish farms in Barkley Sound

Licensed Fish Farms cont. – Cermaq

• San Mateo Bay– Authorised Peak Biomass -100 tonnes– Licensed Species: Atlantic Salmon– Production Status: fallow since December 2010– Benthic management thresholds met

• Barkley (south side of San Mateo Bay)– Authorised Peak Biomass - 300 tonnes– Licensed Species: Atlantic Salmon– Production Status: fallow since April 2011– Benthic management thresholds met

Questions?