{"id":9640,"date":"2020-09-13T12:06:28","date_gmt":"2020-09-13T16:06:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/?p=9640"},"modified":"2020-11-18T15:24:39","modified_gmt":"2020-11-18T20:24:39","slug":"cermaq-responds-to-study-about-climate-changes-threat-to-salmon-farms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/cermaq-responds-to-study-about-climate-changes-threat-to-salmon-farms\/","title":{"rendered":"Cermaq responds to study about climate change’s threat to salmon farms"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Roy L Hales<\/p>\n

A new\u00a0UBC study\u00a0<\/a>suggests that global warming<\/a>\u00a0could significantly reduce the extent that salmon can be farmed off the West Coast of British Columbia. The study\u2019s lead author, \u00a0Muhammed Oyinlola<\/a> said that up to 84 per cent of the area currently suitable for fish farming could be lost. We need to act now: either move fish farms on land or further out to sea. Cermaq Canada<\/a>\u00a0responds to this and some related issues.<\/p>\n

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Boxes with packed fish - courtesy Cermaq Canada<\/p><\/div>\n

Salmon Farming will still be operating<\/h2>\n

\u201cNot to diminish the seriousness of climate change \u2026 which is the biggest issue we\u2019re all facing, we see this kind of report come out every couple of years,\u201d said\u00a0Linda Sams, Sustainable Development Director of Cermaq Canada<\/a>. \u201c\u2026Farmers, not just salmon farmers but farmers in general, all need to manage their operations \u2026 and be aware and plan for increasingly unstable events and changing environmental conditions. In light of that, I\u2019m confident that aquaculture and likely salmon farming, will still be operating in twenty or thirty years.\u201d<\/p>\n

At another point in the interview, Sams added that during the next 10-15 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see any challenges to the viability of salmon farming on the West Coast, but I do believe all of us need to be mindful to the changes [in our climate] and making sure we are planning to adapt,\" said Sams.<\/p>\n

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\"Cermaq<\/a>

Cermaq\u2019s Raza Island farm, located near the mouth of Bute Inlet in the Discovery Islands \u2013 courtesy Cermaq Canada<\/p><\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Ocean Temperatures<\/h2>\n

The UBC study framed this potential threat in terms of rising ocean temperatures.<\/p>\n

A quick google search revealed that water temperatures can vary as much as six degrees at different locations on the coast. In\u00a0Powell River<\/a>, for example, during the past twelve months the ocean\u2019s surface water temperatures rose from a low of 6.4\u00b0C in February to 13.8\u00b0C in August. In\u00a0Tofino<\/a>\u00a0the range was from 6.8\u00b0C to 15.1\u00b0C. In\u00a0Campbell River<\/a>, from 5.8\u00b0C to 20.8\u00b0C.<\/p>\n

Sams suggested that a climate specialist could explain how underwater topography, water movement and storm events influence water temperatures.<\/p>\n

She was in Tasmania for 10 of her 33 years as salmon farmer.<\/p>\n

\u201cTemperatures of 18\u00b0C\u00a0 to 20\u00b0C are not unusual for us,\u201d explained Sams.<\/p>\n

These are not surface temperatures, like the British Columbian examples cited above, but rather three metres down where the fish are more often found.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had to organize our operations, so that we could work through those temperatures,\u201d said Sams.<\/p>\n

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\"Cermaq<\/a>

Deck of Cermaq\u2019s Saranac Farm in Clayoquot Sound\u00a0\u2013 submitted photo<\/p><\/div>

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A Resilient Species<\/h2>\n

\"Salmon are a very resilient species. They have quite a plastic genome, meaning \u2026 through their ancestry and evolution they have a wide range of adaption ability,\" Sams said. \"They can adapt to a lot of changing conditions. If you are working in an environment you understand, and have a natural breeding program \u2013 which we do \u2013 you can plan for the long term and select individuals that are going to thrive in changing conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sams reiterated the fact that in Australia, she has observed salmon in warm water conditions.<\/p>\n

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One of Cermaq\u2019s salmon \u2013 submitted photo<\/p><\/div>

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What temperatures do salmon prefer?<\/h2>\n

\u201cIn the literature you\u2019ll see anywhere from 2\u00b0C to 14\u00b0C \u2013 15\u00b0C, but obviously they can thrive [in water temperatures] up to 20\u00b0C, depending on their circumstances,\u201d said Sams. \u201c \u2026 I wouldn\u2019t say there is one specific range that is perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Question:<\/em>\u00a0A\u00a0DFO study<\/a>\u00a0states, \u201cAdult Atlantic salmon prefer water temperatures in the range of 14 to 20\u00b0C.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s probably for optimal growth,\" Sams responded. \"They can survive and live in much lower temperatures.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Grilled salmon fillet \u2013 submitted photo<\/p><\/div>

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Salmon Die Offs<\/h2>\n

Question: There have been a number of\u00a0salmon die offs<\/a>\u00a0because of warm water in rivers and creeks, does this also occur in the ocean?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t heard of a wild fish incident, though we are seeing changing conditions in the oceans, \u201c said Sams. \u201cWe are seeing changes at a faster rate on the West coast of Vancouver Island than other places where we farm. It\u2019s more related to what else is in the water, versus the water temperature itself. We\u2019re seeing increased pressure from\u00a0plankton blooms<\/a>\u00a0across the whole West Coast and also increased impacts from\u00a0jellyfish<\/a>. [These are] challenges we haven\u2019t had before \u2026 The key to a lot of those challenges \u2026 is how we respond and how we mitigate against these changing conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Texture of farmed salmon \u2013 courtesy Cermaq Canada<\/p><\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Is Canada phasing out open net pen farming?<\/h2>\n

Question: What about the Canadian government\u2019s intention to phase out open net salmon farms?<\/em><\/p>\n

[The Liberal party] \u201c \u2026 made a\u00a0platform policy announcement<\/a>, in the last election, around a responsible transition plan by 2025. To be really frank. we\u2019ve yet to have any kind of material consultation with DFO on what that looks like,\u201d said Sams.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also listen to what the Minister [Bernadette Jordan<\/a>] says on the subject,\" she added. \"She said there will be a responsible plan in place by 2025. I think anything that says \u2018responsible\u2019 and a \u2018plan\u2019 is a good thing. So we\u2019ll look at that, but we haven\u2019t had a clear mandate to be fully on land by 2025. I think there are organizations and sectors that would like that to be mandated, but it hasn\u2019t been clearly stated like that. So we\u2019ll wait and see.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Semi-closed containment system being assembled in BC \u2013 courtesy Cermaq Canada<\/p><\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Cermaq\u2019s Semi-Closed Containment System<\/h2>\n

Cermaq has been working on a\u00a0semi-closed containment system<\/a>, which \u201cdoes allow us a little more control of the water quality within the system itself. It is also a separation between us and wild salmon, which reduces risk there. Primarily it will help us \u2026 reduce\u00a0sea lice<\/a>\u00a0and plankton interactions.\u201d<\/p>\n

While this system is new to British Columbia, Cermaq is in its second production cycle in Norway.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a really good example of innovation. We can find ways to still farm in the ocean in a way that is sustainable for us as farmers and as a business,\u201d said Sams.<\/p>\n

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Overhead view of the Semi-closed containment system during construction \u2013 courtesy Cermaq Canada<\/p>\n

Cermaq Canada responds to Climate Change<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cWe believe Climate Change is the biggest challenge facing the world right now and we want to be leaders and part of the solution around that,\" Sams said. \"Reports like this come out and remind us that how we grow our food and look after ourselves as a country, specifically, but also as a whole planet: we all need to be stepping up and shouldering the\u00a0 responsibility. Not only how are we going to protect ourselves \u2013 What are we doing to slow down climate change?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a company, we are looking at all of our greenhouse gas emissions right now,\" she added. \"I have a person dedicated to it on staff,\u00a0 who is tracking that. We are looking at the science based targets on being a signatory to that and how we can really reduce our emissions.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Roy L Hales A new\u00a0UBC study\u00a0suggests that global warming\u00a0could significantly reduce the extent that salmon can be farmed off the West Coast of British Columbia. The study\u2019s lead author, \u00a0Muhammed Oyinlola said that up to 84 per cent of the area currently suitable for fish farming could be lost. We need to act now:…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":9646,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[217,222],"tags":[1203,1201,1202],"radio":[],"origine":[280,266,231],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9640"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/34"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9640"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9640\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9640"},{"taxonomy":"radio","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/radio?post=9640"},{"taxonomy":"origine","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/origine?post=9640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}