Apply Now for ACFFA's New Atlantic Salmon Research Award

Applications are open for ACFFA’s new Atlantic Salmon Research Award!

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association Salmon Research Award was established in honour of Betty House whose passion for and dedication to salmon in Atlantic Canada was marked by her 20+ year career in the salmon aquaculture industry and her role in the Inner Bay of Fundy Salmon Recovery Project.

The $2000 annual award is presented to a post secondary student who is making contributions to research in fish health, nutrition, innovation, genetics, and/or technologies that contribute to Atlantic salmon rearing, stocking, or conservation.

Deadline to apply is May 30, 2024.

For more information, please contact The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers' Association by email: Info@atlanticfishfarmers.com or call 506-755-3526.

Species at Risk Act (SARA) Lumpfish Consultations

On behalf of the salmon farming industry in Atlantic Canada, the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) has written to Fisheries and Oceans Canada to address the potential SARA listing of Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) as Threatened and specifically the removal of the potential limitations on the “breeding, sale and use of Lumpfish as cleaner fish…and directed fishery for broodstock.”

Anyone wishing to provide input into the potential listing may submit feedback here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry/consultation-documents/lumpfish-2023.html

Deadline to submit feedback is December 22, 2023.

Dr. Steve Backman Earns 2023 Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award

ACFFA Raises $2,200 for Salmon Research Award

St. Andrews by-the-Sea, NB – October 27, 2023 – Dr. Steven Backman - the “grandfather” of fish health veterinary medicine in Atlantic Canada and a passionate supporter of sustainable aquaculture - is recipient of the 2023 Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award.

Approximately 130 salmon farmers, industry stakeholders, scientists, researchers, provincial and federal government representatives, and aquaculture professionals participated in the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association’s Annual Science, Research and Technology Forum this week in St. Andrews, NB where the award was presented to Dr. Backman.

“Dr. Steven Backman’s contributions to Atlantic Canada’s aquaculture sector are unparalleled,” said David Seeley, Secretary/Treasurer of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers’ Association (ACFFA). “His leadership in the areas of fish health and feed innovation have been crucial to the evolution and continued sustainable growth of our sector.”

Dr. Backman is affectionately known as the “Grampy” fish health veterinary medicine in Atlantic Canada because when he moved to New Brunswick in 1988, he was the first and only private sector veterinarian in the area who had specialized training in fish health medicine. He comes from families of both dairy farmers and fishermen, so choosing aquaculture as a career seemed natural to him. Dr. Backman was drawn to aquaculture as a young boy after watching famed conservationist Jacques Cousteau on television. Cousteau believed farming the ocean could protect the wild stocks in the sea as well as vastly supplement the world’s food supply.

Dr. Backman began his aquaculture career as a Research and Extension Officer at the Ontario Veterinary College in a collaborative program with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food to assist tobacco farmers transition to more sustainable crops through the adoption of land-based aquaculture. In 1988, he returned to Atlantic Canada to head up the Veterinary Services Office for Moore-Clark Canada, a division of BP Nutrition. At the time, salmon farming was just getting established, and farmers had access only to a large animal veterinarian and two provincial biology assistants to answer any fish health questions.

Steve holds a Diploma in Agriculture from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree and Diploma in Anatomical Pathology from the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Ontario. He is a USDA accredited veterinarian and is licensed in several jurisdictions; he also serves as IACUC Veterinarian for the USDA ARC in Maine. He is the Charter President of the Canadian Association of Aquatic Veterinarians and Charter Secretary of the Eastern Association of Aquaculture Veterinarians. He just marked this 35th anniversary working at Skretting, where his current role is Product Manager for North America. In his off time, Dr. Backman enjoys working at his Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) operation, Magellan Aqua Farms Inc., in Bocabec Bay and St. Stephen, New Brunswick.

“Dr. Backman’s wealth of knowledge and passion for aquaculture is legendary. He is always willing to share his expertise and enthusiasm for fish health and feed innovation with anyone who wants to learn,” said Seeley. “He is truly deserving of this recognition for his substantial contributions to this sector.”

ACFFA established the Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award in 2017. The award honours an industry professional who has dedicated 25 years or more in the areas of science, environment, and technology in support of the sustainable development of salmon aquaculture in Atlantic Canada. Previous recipients include Gary Taylor (Skretting); Alan Donkin (Northeast Nutrition); Leighanne Hawkins (Cooke Inc.); Betty House (ACFFA Science and Technology Coordinator) and Stan McGrattan (Cooke Inc.).

“I have to thank the industry and everyone in this room. This industry is an amazing industry,” said Backman. “We do so much for Canada. We supply food and do it in the most sustainable way. If you take salmon off the plate and replace it with any other protein source, you are dramatically increasing the carbon footprint of that meal. As an industry we are innovative, we are passionate about what we do, and we are extremely conservation-minded in terms of the environment and our footprint. You deserve - as farmers and support people - recognition for that.”

A Charity Casino held during the Gala dinner raised $2,200 for the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association Salmon Research Award, established in honour of Betty House whose passion for and dedication to salmon in Atlantic Canada was marked by her 20+ year career in the salmon aquaculture industry and her role in the Inner Bay of Fundy Salmon Recovery Project. ACFFA will present the grant in 2024 to a post-secondary student who is making contributions to research in fish health, innovation, genetics, and/or technologies that contribute to Atlantic salmon rearing, stocking or conservation.

ACFFA is an industry-funded association working on behalf of Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming industry in addition to a wide range of service and supply companies and organizations. Salmon farming employs over 8,000 people in our region and has a total economic output of $2 billion annually in Atlantic Canada.

For more information, please contact:
Susan Farquharson, Executive Director
Ph: 506-755-3526
Email: info@atlanticfishfarmers.com

ACFFA Earns Gulf of Maine Industry Award for Environmental Leadership and Innovation

Christie Ward from the NB Dept of Environment and Local Government presents the award to Susan Farquharson, Executive Director of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association.

The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment has selected the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) as the recipient of its 2023 Industry Award.

The Council gave out the award to ACFFA Executive Director Susan Farquharson at a ceremony last night in Boston, Massachusetts. The award recognizes demonstrated innovation and leadership in efforts to improve the well-being of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and the communities that call it home.

“It is our pleasure to recognize the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association for your outstanding leadership toward sustainable and environmentally responsible finfish production in the Gulf of Maine,” says the award citation. “Your efforts to advance ocean sustainability and science-based aquaculture research have helped protect natural resources in the Gulf of Maine while also supporting the maritime fishing economy and communities that rely on this important industry.”

The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, created in 1989 by the governments of Maine, Massachusetts, New Brunswick, New Hampshire and Nova Scotia, works to foster environmental health and community well-being throughout the Gulf watershed. The Council’s mission is to maintain and enhance environmental quality in the Gulf of Maine to allow for sustainable resource use by existing and future generations.

“ACFFA is honoured to be recognized by the Council for our lead role coordinating, communicating, and supporting the continuing innovation that has resulted in our region’s salmon farming sector being recognized as global leaders in sustainable and environmentally responsible finfish production,” says Farquharson. “Earning this award in conjunction with World Oceans Day reaffirms our commitment to ocean sustainability and continued action in our own region to preserve our ocean.”

ACFFA has actively supported its members’ commitment to sustainability in a variety of ways including coordinating coastal clean ups and research pilot projects as well as organizing an annual Aquaculture Research Science and Technology Forum to showcase the latest innovations and facilitate the exchange of new ideas. ACFFA’s focus on sustainability leadership helped bring to life several new green aquaculture technologies that support healthier oceans as well as a revolutionary partnership called Fundy Salmon Recovery that is changing the face of wild salmon conservation and resulting in the highest returns of inner Bay of Fundy wild Atlantic salmon in 20 years. This program has created the world’s first Wild Salmon Conservation Farm in the Bay of Fundy’s Dark Harbour and is a true collaboration of First Nations, academia, all levels of government and industry that exemplifies the positive results which come from working collaboratively toward the shared goal of sustainable oceans.

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmer Association members – farmers, feed producers, and service support organizations – represent an industry that contributes more than $2 billion, and over 8,000 jobs, each year to the Atlantic Canadian economy through research-intensive, environmentally and commercially responsible aquaculture. For almost four decades, ACFFA has served as the regional voice of the salmon farming sector at all levels of government and in community engagement.

For more information, please contact:
Susan Farquharson, Executive Director
Ph: 506-755-3526
Email: info@atlanticfishfarmers.com

Meet ACFFA’s Science Liaison Coordinator

Say hello to ACFFA’s newest team member Evie Gagné!

Evie is taking on the newly established role of Science Liaison Coordinator, in which she will provide project management support and coordination of the association’s science, research, and policy projects.

Evie brings to ACFFA nearly 25 years of experience working in fish health in New Brunswick’s salmon farming sector, including a decade as a Senior Fish Health Technician with Cooke Inc., in Black’s Harbour NB. She has vast experience maintaining both fish health and treatment databases for farms and hatcheries as well as working knowledge of the salmon farming sector’s third-party certification programs.

Evie earned a Bachelor of Science in Natural Science and a Bachelor of Outdoor Education (Honours) from Lakehead University and has served as Board President of the Charlotte County SPCA since 1999. In 2008, she and her fellow board members built the first animal shelter in Charlotte County, NB, which is still thriving today.

Evie will organize and host workshops that are targeted to meeting specific sector challenges and assist industry with meeting the requirements of regulatory/voluntary certification programs in their pursuit of more standardized approaches to sustainability, food safety and quality. She’ll also be our go-to person to communicate salmon farming science and technology priorities to academia, government, and the public.

Please join us in welcoming Evie to the ACFFA team and feel free to reach out to her at e.gagne@atlanticfishfarmers.com or 506-467-7337.

Susan Farquharson
Executive Director
Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association

Nova Scotians Deserve Clarity on Fish Farming

Stuck and stifled.

That’s the state of Nova Scotia’s marine fish farming sector over the past decade.

And quite frankly, it’s a shame not only for the hardworking farmers who could be producing more sustainable, healthy seafood but also for all Nova Scotians who are missing out on the socio-economic prosperity that the globally growing aquaculture sector could bring to the province, especially coastal communities, and the hundreds of SMEs throughout the province that service the aquaculture industry. These include research and academic organizations like Dalhousie University, IT and tech companies, boat builders, maintenance and gear supply enterprises, and a broad range of consultant services.

Recently, the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture released the final recommendations from the Nova Scotia Aquaculture Regulatory Advisory Committee (NSARAC). The fish farming sector provided input into the recommendations and welcomed them, especially the section on regulatory rightsizing, which if followed, will help farmers continue to grow sustainable seafood.

What’s frustrating, however, is the fact that many of these recommendations are a decade old from the Doelle-Lahey Panel on the Independent Aquaculture Regulatory Review for Nova Scotia.

While the other Atlantic provinces have clearly recognized the importance of sustainable fish farming to their food security and economy and articulated how to achieve their visions for this vital sector, successive Nova Scotia governments over the past decade continue to chase their tails in what appears to be the hope of achieving the unachievable: 100 per cent public support.

In 2021, Nova Scotia joined the other Atlantic provinces in signing a Memorandum of Understanding with a shared vision for the development and management of the region’s aquaculture sector. In 2022, Atlantic Premiers reinforced that support and clearly articulated the vital role aquaculture plays in our region’s food security and economic growth.

Yet, despite this, Nova Scotia has not taken the most important step needed to live up to those public commitments; it has not developed a vision for its fish farming sector and a strategy to achieve it. Instead, the government is stuck on reviewing topics that have already been reviewed and revising regulations that have already been revised. It’s akin to endlessly changing the floorplans of a house before even deciding what kind of house you want.

Over the past four decades, Nova Scotia has built a salmon farming sector that is recognized globally for its sustainable and environmentally responsible production. The province produces 50 million meals of farmed salmon yearly, creating 886 jobs and generating $213.5 million. (RIAS Inc 2020).

At a time when the world is urgently seeking out climate-friendly, sustainable solutions to food production and Atlantic Canada is poised for an “economic breakout” due in large part to its population growth, farmed salmon shines as one of the most energy efficient farmed animals that is produced with a minimal environmental impact.

Nova Scotia has an extraordinary opportunity to continue to sustainably develop its salmon farming sector while helping coastal communities and small and medium businesses supplying the sector with goods and services thrive.

That cannot happen without decisive vision by elected representatives first.

I urge the Nova Scotia government to clearly articulate its vision for fish farming. Then, once that vision is in place, ongoing research, continued public engagement, investment and collaboration can transform that vision into reality.

Susan Farquharson
Executive Director
Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association

Job Opportunity: Science Liaison Coordinator

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) is recruiting for a Science Liaison Coordinator to provide project management support and coordination of the association’s science, research, and policy projects.

Science Liaison Coordinator Education and Skills:

This position requires someone with in-depth knowledge of the salmon farming sector’s regulatory, research and science processes. Established relationships with the industry would be viewed favorably.

Required skills and abilities include:

• A university degree in Aquaculture, Marine Biology, or similar study

• A minimum of 8-10 years experience or a combination of education and relevant experience in finfish aquaculture

• Program management (including financial, proposal writing and reporting)

• Demonstrated written, analytical research and presentation skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of the history of finfish aquaculture in Atlantic Canada

• Knowledge of the challenges and opportunities affecting finfish aquaculture in Atlantic Canada

• Solid organizational abilities, including planning, delegating, project management and task facilitation

• Ability to accurately analyze reports and papers to provide interpretation summary and recommendations.

Science Liaison Coordinator Responsibilities:
Under the direction of the Executive Director primary tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Manage science / research projects

• Organize and host workshops that are targeted to meeting specific industry challenges

• Communicate science and technology priorities to academia, government, the public and other stakeholder groups

• Represent the Association on committees, working groups, and at conferences, etc., as required

• Assist industry with meeting compliance/conformance to regulatory/voluntary. certification programs in their pursuit of more standardized approaches to sustainability, food safety and quality

• Other tasks as assigned by the Executive Director

Salary and Position Details:

Full-time salaried position. Annual salary will be in the range of $47,000 – $52,000 based on a 30-hour work week. Final renumeration will depend on skills and experience. Benefits include paid vacation and sick time that aligns with the ACFFA HR Policy, health care package and a travel stipend when using personal vehicle.

The position is based at the ACFFA offices located at 226 Limekiln Road, Letang, NB but will require some local travel, ability to work remotely at times and flexible hours to coordinate and participate in community programs and events. Office space, computer and basic office supplies will be provided.

To Apply:

Please email your cover letter and resume combined into a single PDF labeled Lastname_Firstname_2023 to: s.farquharson@atlanticfishfarmers.com by April 3, 2023. for priority consideration.

The position will remain open until filled. The cover letter should clearly demonstrate the applicant’s ability to fulfill the stated duties and meet the qualifications of the position.

The ideal candidate will begin employment April 10, 2023.

Meet our New Community Outreach and Education Coordinator

Say hello to ACFFA’s newest team member Katie McLaughlin!

Katie is taking on the newly established role of Community Outreach and Education Coordinator, in which she will help plan, execute and support ACFFA’s community outreach and education activities.

A graduate with honours from the New Brunswick Community College Aquaculture Technician Program in 2012, Katie brings over a decade of experience in aquaculture to her new role. She has worked in an ISO17025 lab, wet lab and multiple hatcheries. In her most recent role, she worked at New Brunswick’s provincial research organization RPC as a Molecular Biology Technician and Bioscience Client Relations Lead. A resident of Black’s Harbour, NB, Katie also worked at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre as an Aquaculture Research Technician.

Katie will help us continue to educate people about Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming sector by taking the lead on ACFFA’s community projects and services, including our New Brunswick Open Farm Day tours, our K-12 education programs as well as our activities to promote aquaculture as a career.

Please join us in welcoming Katie to the ACFFA team and feel free to reach out to her at k.mclaughlin@atlanticfishfarmers.com or 506-755-0319.

Susan Farquharson
Executive Director
Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association

ACFFA Pays Tribute to Betty House

On behalf of our Board of Directors and everyone at the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Betty House, our long-time Science and Technology Coordinator who passed away January 13, 2023 after a lengthy illness.

Betty’s career in aquaculture spanned three decades, including the last 12 years coordinating science, research, and innovation activities for Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming sector. She was a passionate champion of aquaculture and of the science-based research behind it. Her work with ACFFA has been crucial to the evolution and continued sustainable growth of Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming sector.

In 2021, House earned the Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award for her contributions to the region’s salmon farming sector.

Betty especially loved her work with the Fundy Salmon Recovery project, an innovative partnership that is revolutionizing wild salmon restoration. She has often been called ‘the glue’ who brings people together on projects, and she certainly did that with Fundy Salmon Recovery. Her leadership as well as her technical and organizational excellence was crucial to the success of this partnership. Just days before her death, she organized one last call with her Fundy Salmon Recovery partners to say farewell to her colleagues and to be sure she had done everything she could to take care of those wild salmon that will be released back to the rivers later this year.

We will miss Betty so much as a colleague and as a dear friend.

Details about Betty House’s funeral can be found here.

Susan Farquharson
Executive Director
Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association

Job Opportunity: Community Outreach and Education Coordinator

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) is recruiting for a self-motivated, enthusiastic, and community-driven Outreach and Education Coordinator to help plan, execute and support community outreach activities.

Community Outreach and Education Coordinator Skills

This position requires someone with a good understanding and broad knowledge about the salmon farming industry in Atlantic Canada who is comfortable with public speaking and engaging community members of all ages to implement outreach programs. Required skills and abilities include:

• A team player who can work with the association team to implement initiatives within the surrounding communities

• Maintaining a calendar of outreach activities, including community events, workshops, appearances, and other outreach opportunities

• Strong experience preparing reports as required

• Nurturing relationships with collaborative partners

• A good knowledge of the salmon farming sector in Atlantic Canada that ideally stems from a minimum of five years experience in the industry

• Outstanding written communication and presentation skills

• Friendly, enthusiastic, and positive attitude

• Comfort using social media, Microsoft Office and other web platforms (e.g., Website content management systems such as Squarespace. Competence taking photos and video for social media and using FB, IG, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

• Able to successfully manage multiple projects at a time.

Community Outreach Coordinator Responsibilities
Under the direction of the Executive Director and with support of the Communications Director, serve as the Outreach and Education Coordinator for the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) to oversee education projects and services.

Primary tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:

·       Serve as the coordinator for community projects and services;

·       Provide input to ACFFA’s annual communications plan, and implement annual community outreach and education projects and events;

·       Serve as lead coordinator for Open Farm Day annual event. Planning event logistics, tours, schedule, and partnership coordination;

·       Serve as the lead coordinator for ACFFA K-12 education program, partnering with local schools, co-creating watershed science curriculum and activities with local schools;

·       Assist with grant applications to fund the programs;

·       Develop a guidance councillor package and subsequent quarterly newsletter for local schools informing readers about career opportunities in salmon farming; and

·       Other tasks as assigned by the Executive Director.

Salary and Position Details:

Full-time salaried position. Annual salary will be in the range of $37,000 – $42,000 depending on skills and experience. Benefits for full time employees include paid vacation and sick time that aligns with the ACFFA HR Policy, health care package and a travel stipend when using personal vehicle.

The position is based at the ACFFA offices located at 226 Limekiln Road, Letang, NB but will require some local travel, ability to work remotely at times and flexible hours to coordinate and participate in community programs and events. Office space, computer and basic office supplies will be provided.

To Apply:

Please email your cover letter and resume combined into a single PDF labeled Lastname_Firstname_2022 to: s.farquharson@atlanticfishfarmers.com by December 19, 2022 for priority consideration.

The position will remain open until filled. The cover letter should clearly demonstrate the applicants’ ability to fulfill the stated duties and meet the qualifications of the position.

The ideal candidate will begin employment by February 1, 2023.

‘Holiday Pop-Up’ for Harbour Lights

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) is holding an online ‘Holiday Pop-Up’ sale featuring LIMITED EDITION merchandise to support the 2022 Harbour Lights Campaign.

Starting today, our “Atlantic Canada Grown, Atlantic Canada Proud” shirts are back up for sale for 10 DAYS ONLY in NEW styles, along with our NEW “Uniquely Atlantic” beanies designed by New Brunswick graphic designer Lindsay Vautour and printed by Printworks Custom Apparel in Saint John. Proceeds from the sale will go to the 2022 Harbour Lights Campaign Inc., which supports 15 food banks in Southwestern New Brunswick.

“Our ‘Atlantic Canada Grown, Atlantic Canada Proud’ shirts were so popular last summer, we knew we had to bring them back as long-sleeved shirts and hoodies just in time for Christmas,” says Susan Farquharson, ACFFA Executive Director. “The shirts and our new ‘Uniquely Atlantic’ beanies look great and raise money for an important cause.”

You can order your LIMITED EDITION merchandise at our online store. Deadline to order is November 25, 2022.

Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming sector generates more than 8000 jobs and contributes over $2 billion to the Canadian GDP. Our farmers grow 323 million meals of salmon every year in Atlantic Canada (RAIS Inc.2020), which helps to meet the global demand for seafood. The Food and Agriculture Organization - United Nations (2020) listed aquaculture as one of the top five priorities to address climate change.

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) is an industry-funded association working on behalf of Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming industry in addition to a wide range of service and supply companies and organizations.

For more information, please contact:
Susan Farquharson
ACFFA Executive Director
506-755-3526
info@atlanticfishfarmers.com

Salmon Farming Pioneer Earns 2022 Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award

Stan McGrattan, an aquaculture professional whose career dates back to Atlantic Canada’s first Salmonid Demonstration and Development Farm nearly four decades ago, is the recipient of the 2022 Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award.

 Approximately 135 salmon farmers, industry stakeholders, scientists, researchers, provincial and federal government representatives, and community members came together both in-person and virtually for the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association’s Annual Science, Research and Technology Forum this week in St. Andrews, NB where the award was presented to McGrattan.

“Stan McGrattan’s leadership in the development and implementation of best farming practices and innovations has been crucial to the evolution and continued sustainable growth of our industry in Atlantic Canada,” said Tom Taylor, Chair of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers’ Association (ACFFA). “Over his 36-year career in aquaculture, Stan has played a vital role in transforming the vision of a few entrepreneurs into the vibrant and successful industry we have today in our region.”

After beginning his career in the construction industry, McGrattan saw an opportunity in 1986 to get involved with New Brunswick’s newly developing aquaculture industry. He became the Technical Supervisor overseeing the establishment of the Salmonid Demonstration and Development Farm, a collaborative project with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that conducted trials crucial to the growth of the fish farm sector. He went on to work for 23 years at Aqua Fish Farms as site manager, area manager and production manager. In 2009, Cooke Aquaculture purchased Aqua Fish Farms and Stan accepted a position of Area Manager for Cooke New Brunswick. In 2012, he became Corporate Feed and Treatment Manager for Cooke North America. He remained in that role until retiring in May of 2022.

“Stan has an extraordinary ability to lead and support his colleagues. His problem-solving approach in the management of feeding programs and data entry design, and his collaborative management with fish health veterinarians and biologists have been key to his company’s success and to the success of the entire sector in Atlantic Canada,” said Taylor. “For his highly valued contributions over an extensive career, he is truly deserving of this prestigious Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award.”

ACFFA established the Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award in 2017. The award honours an industry professional who has dedicated 25 years or more in the areas of science, environment and technology in support of the sustainable development of salmon aquaculture in Atlantic Canada. Previous recipients include Gary Taylor (Skretting); Alan Donkin (Northeast Nutrition); Leighanne Hawkins (Cooke Aquaculture); and Betty House, ACFFA Science and Technology Coordinator.

“When I was asked if I would let my name stand for this award, I felt quite humbled. I thought there have to be a lot more people who have done as much or more than I have for this sector. Then I thought about the people who have gotten this award and I thought, ‘Man, I’d like to join that group,” said McGrattan during his speech. “Thank you for the award. I really appreciate it.”

This year’s Science, Research and Technology Forum was held in conjunction with a Women of Salmon Farming Symposium, a first-of-its-kind event in Atlantic Canada aimed at harnessing opportunities for women and improving gender equity in our region’s salmon farming sector. Participants reviewed the high-level insights from ACFFA’s new study: Gender-Based Opportunities and Challenges in Salmonid Farming in Atlantic Canada which examines gender equity throughout Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming value chain. The symposium included interactive discussions with participants whose feedback will be incorporated into ACFFA’s final report to be released at a later date.

“We had such insightful and invigorating discussions on how to bring more women into our sector and more equity to our industry,” said Susan Farquharson, Executive Director of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers’ Association. “Those conversations will lead to concrete steps we can take as an association and as an industry to address labour challenges and help close the equity gap so we can continue to play our important role in global food security.”

A Charity Casino held during the Gala dinner raised $2,500 to initiate an ACFFA Women in Aquaculture Student Grant which will be awarded in 2023 to a woman from Atlantic Canada who is training in the area of fish health. Details about the criteria of the grant will be announced in the coming months.

ACFFA is an industry-funded association working on behalf of Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming industry in addition to a wide range of service and supply companies and organizations. Salmon farming employs over 8,000 people in our region and has a total economic output of $2 billion annually in Atlantic Canada.

 For more information, please contact:
Susan Farquharson, Executive Director
Ph: 506-755-3526
Email: info@atlanticfishfarmers.com

Women of Salmon Farming Symposium aims to improve gender equity

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) will host a first-of-its-kind event in our region: A ‘Women of Salmon Farming Symposium’ aimed at harnessing opportunities for women and improving gender equity in Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming sector.

The event will include the release of a new study commissioned by ACFFA: Gender-Based Opportunities and Challenges in Salmonid Farming in Atlantic Canada which examines gender equity throughout Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming value chain. The Women of Salmon Farming Symposium, which will be held in conjunction with ACFFA’s annual Research, Science and Technology Forum, will be held virtually and in-person in St. Andrews NB on October 25-27, 2022.

“The study is basically a ‘state of the nation’ on gender equity in salmon farming in Atlantic Canada, and the Symposium will bring men and women together to discuss both the opportunities for women in the salmon farming sector and the steps needed to bring more gender equity to our industry,” said Susan Farquharson, Executive Director of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association.

While the report won’t be released until the fall, Farquharson said the study found that the salmon farming sector compares similarly to other animal protein producing industries when it comes to overall gender parity. Although the report found that more progress is needed to improve female participation and close the pay equity gap, Atlantic Canada leads the country in overall gender parity in our sector, she said.

“This report gives us a clear picture of where we are now and will serve as the foundation of discussions at the Symposium,” said Farquharson. “I encourage anyone who works in our sector, especially those who may not have participated in our Fall Forum in the past, to attend either in person or virtually. Voices from every part of our sector are needed for a fulsome and productive discussion that will lead to actionable recommendations in this area.”

The full conference agenda as well as online registration details will be released in September.

Schedule Overview:

Tuesday evening, October 25

Ask Your Voice®: The Algonquin Resort St. Andrews by-the-Sea (in-person only)

Join opera singer and communications expert Marie Terese Letorney for a lively and interactive session that will teach you to communicate more effectively with impact and confidence. This fun and informative session is not to be missed!

Wednesday, October 26

Women in Salmon Farming Symposium – Huntsman Marine Science Centre (virtual and in-person)

Join us for the release of Gender-Based Opportunities and Challenges in Salmonid Farming in Atlantic Canada, the first study of its kind to look at gender equity throughout Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming value chain. The agenda includes a keynote speaker, facilitated sessions and a panel discussion. This is an important and timely discussion that will help our sector evolve by understanding labour challenges and harnessing opportunities.

ACFFA Gala Fundraising Dinner – The Algonquin Resort St. Andrews by-the-Sea – In-person only

We’ll raise money for a community cause and present our Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award as well as highlight the role women play in our sector.

Thursday, October 27

Research, Science and Technology Sessions - Huntsman Marine Science Centre (virtual and in-person)

Don’t miss these sessions featuring the latest research and innovation in our sector, including the release of our GHG Emissions Calculation and Predictive Model for Atlantic Canada Salmon Aquaculture.

For more information, please contact:
Susan Farquharson, Executive Director
Ph: 506-755-3526
Email: info@atlanticfishfarmers.com

Open Letter to Atlantic Canada’s Premiers

Dear Atlantic Premiers:

As our region, our country and the rest of the world move toward recovery from COVID-19, thank you for taking a public stand on the importance and value of Atlantic Canada’s homegrown, unique aquaculture sector.

At a time when domestic food production has never been more important, we applaud you for so clearly recognizing that Atlantic Canada’s aquaculture sector creates sustainable economic opportunities for many rural, coastal, and Indigenous communities while producing healthy, sustainable food. Our salmon farming sector alone generates just under $2 billion in economic output, $800 million in GDP and about $350 million in salaries for more than 8,000 workers. Atlantic Canadian salmon farmers grow 343 million climate-friendly and healthy meals annually.

When it comes to salmon farming, Atlantic Canada is unique – and that uniqueness is key to our sector’s success. Some factors that make Atlantic Canada unlike no other when it comes to salmon farming:

• Our unique, diverse and abundant natural ocean coastline: In terms of tides, winds, water depth, water temperature, marine ecosystems and benthic environments, our ocean waters are unlike any other. Our waters are the ideal place to farm fish, especially Atlantic salmon, in an environmentally sustainable way.

• Our collaboration: (The Atlantic Canadian way): Salmon farmers, academia, government, researchers, wild seafood harvesters and First Nations are known collaborators in areas of bay management, marine infrastructure and conservation. They work alongside each other in shared waters and waterfronts.

• Our innovation: As one of the regions that pioneered the global salmon farming sector, Atlantic Canada has become an extraordinary hub of innovative and sustainable aquaculture and cutting-edge marine research. We’re always evolving based on the latest science, research and technology.

• Our fish: The Atlantic salmon farmed here originate from native fish that have been swimming off the eastern coast of Canada for hundreds of thousands of years.

• Our support: 81% of consumers polled in Atlantic region support salmon farming (NRA 2022). That strong support has been steady for the past five years.

• Our wild salmon conservation efforts: Atlantic salmon farmers operate the World’s First Wild Salmon Marine Conservation Farm as part of the innovative Fundy Salmon Recovery partnership. The initiative is now seeing unprecedented inner Bay of Fundy wild salmon returns and revolutionizing wild salmon recovery efforts.

Thank you, Premiers, for pointing out that while the federal government has responsibility in managing Canada’s fisheries, Atlantic Canada’s aquaculture sector is well-managed under provincial regulations. This provincial oversight – which allows each province to adapt to its own coastal areas but with the shared goal of long-term sustainability - is yet another way that Atlantic Canada’s aquaculture sector is unique. Your public statement that you are “wholeheartedly committed to maintaining the existing system for licensing and overseeing aquaculture operations in Atlantic Canada” exhibits strong and collaborative leadership that supports our sector as we continue to play a vital role in both food security and the sustainable recovery of communities. Your support strongly reinforces the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2021 by Atlantic Canada’s aquaculture ministers to work together on a shared vision for the development and management of the region’s aquaculture sector.

Recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations as one of the priorities to address climate change, aquaculture is a responsible, sustainable, and innovative means to provide adequate food supply to meet the world’s population growth while helping to reduce the pressure on wild fish stocks. The growing importance of aquaculture to feed the world opens a window of opportunity for seafood producing regions like Atlantic Canada. Grasping that full potential in Atlantic Canada will take a collaborative approach that balances environmental, social and economic priorities.

We remain committed to that goal and thank you once again for clearly demonstrating your commitment to that goal as well. 

Sincerely,

Susan Farquharson
Executive Director
Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association

Tom Smith
Executive Director
Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia

Jamie Baker
Executive Director
Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association

Peter Warris
Research Director
PEI Aquaculture Alliance

Atlantic Canada to Host GSA’s GOAL 2023 Conference

Atlantic Canada will host the 22nd edition of the GOAL conference in the fall of 2023, the Global Seafood Alliance announced on May 18.

GOAL: The Responsible Seafood Conference, the largest international seafood business conference of its kind, will bring 500 seafood industry leaders from around the world to the host city of Saint John, New Brunswick. This is only the second time GOAL will have been held in Canada, with Vancouver being the host city in 2015. GOAL has been held in 18 cities in four continents (North America, South America, Europe and Asia) since 2001 and is being held in Seattle in the fall of 2022 and Scotland in 2024.

“Atlantic Canada is a major seafood producer on the global aquaculture scene, particularly with salmon. The region’s finfish and shellfish aquaculture farmers have embraced best practices and are highly regarded as responsible and significant contributors to the rural coastal economy and working waterfronts in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island. Coupled with a rich tradition of wild-harvest fisheries, New Brunswick is an ideal fit for GOAL 2023 and GSA,” said Brian Perkins, CEO of the Global Seafood Alliance.

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA), the trade association representing the region’s fish-farming sector, led the bid and will work with Canada’s federal government, New Brunswick’s provincial government and other seafood industry bodies throughout Atlantic Canada, including several producer associations for both farmed and wild seafood, to deliver the event along with GSA. “As one of the regions that pioneered the global salmon farming sector, Atlantic Canada has become an extraordinary hub of innovative and sustainable aquaculture and cutting-edge marine research. We cannot wait to showcase Atlantic Canada’s science-based, collaborative approach to sustainable seafood production to the world,” said Susan Farquharson, executive director of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association. “Hosting GOAL in Atlantic Canada will give our seafood professionals invaluable opportunities to learn from and connect with their counterparts from around the world so we can continue to evolve our sector.”

“Atlantic Canada has a deep relationship with the ocean and producing sustainable seafood. As a family company we have always worked to improve operations and the quality of our products. Innovation is part of who we are, intrinsic to our east coast mentality and the values of everybody who works with us,” said Glenn Cooke, CEO of Cooke Aquaculture Inc.

“Even as we have continued to grow our global seafood company our head office remains in New Brunswick. It is here where our company began and as a GOAL 2023 platinum sponsor, we’ll be showcasing a New Brunswick-made project we are a proud partner of — Fundy Salmon Recovery — the world’s first wild salmon recovery project to collect young fish after they have spent the critical early life stages in the wild and then care for them at a dedicated marine conservation fish farm on Grand Manan Island using aquaculture technology. This leading model is seeing historic returns of endangered Inner Bay of Fundy wild Atlantic salmon and the results have been possible only because of the revolutionary partnership of Parks Canada, Fort Folly First Nation Habitat Recovery, UNB, Cooke Aquaculture, the Province of New Brunswick and the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association,” added Glenn Cooke.

“I am thrilled the Global Seafood Alliance has chosen Saint John, New Brunswick, to be the host for the 22nd edition of the GOAL conference. This is an extremely important event, and we look forward to welcoming industry leaders from around the globe to our province,” said Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Minister Margaret Johnson. “There is no better place to see the aquaculture and fisheries sectors up close and personal. Our seafood sectors are essential economic drivers for many rural, coastal and Indigenous communities in New Brunswick, and being able to showcase what we do best and learn from others is a tremendous opportunity.”

“We are excited that GOAL 2023 is going to be held in Saint John, the only city on the world-famous Bay of Fundy,” said Paulette Hicks, CEO of Envision Saint John: The Regional Growth Agency. “Hosting this international seafood leaders conference will inject upwards of $1M into the local economy. We look forward to the opportunity to showcase our amazing city and businesses and recognize that every visitor to our region is a potential new resident, business owner or investor.”

For 21 years GOAL has acted as platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration amongst industry, NGOs, academia, government, retail, and foodservice. It’s a unique blend of professionals representing both farmed and wild seafood, united by an ever-evolving, forward-thinking conference program that identifies emerging challenges and offers solutions to those challenges. Moderated by GSA’s subject matter experts, GOAL’s carefully curated program features around 60 international speakers and centers on production, sustainability, innovation, and market trends.

Each GOAL is unique, embracing the identity and culture of the host country while providing an entertaining, casual atmosphere for professionals to network and socialize through offsite receptions and dinners as well as tours of production facilities.

About the Global Seafood Alliance
The Global Seafood Alliance is an international, nonprofit trade association dedicated to advancing responsible seafood practices through education, advocacy and third-party assurances. Through the development of its Best Aquaculture Practices and Best Seafood Practices certification programs, GSA has become the leading provider of assurances for seafood globally. The organization’s work addresses the full spectrum of responsibility, from environmental responsibility and social accountability to food safety. Established in 1997 as the Global Aquaculture Alliance, GSA is headquartered in Portsmouth, N.H., USA. To learn more, visit www.globalseafood.org.

About ACFFA
The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmer Association members – farmers, feed producers, and service support organizations – represent an industry that contributes more than $2 billion, and over 8,000 jobs, each year to the Atlantic Canadian economy through research-intensive, environmentally and commercially responsible aquaculture. ACFFA operates a private marine tidal wharf facility to service its members and organizes Atlantic Canada’s annual aquaculture research conference that brings together industry professionals to learn about the latest trends, opportunities, innovations and research in our sector. ACFFA, formerly known as the New Brunswick Salmon Growers’ Association (NBSGA), has represented salmon farmers since 1987. Find out more at www.atlanticfishfarmers.com.

2022 Aquaculture Research, Science and Technology Forum

Mark your calendars now for Wednesday and Thursday, October 26-27 for our 2022 Aquaculture Research, Science and Technology Forum!

Whether you join us virtually or in person in St. Andrews, NB at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, our hybrid conference will feature all the leading-edge presentations you have come to expect from Atlantic Canada’s Premier Aquaculture Research Forum. We'll also be celebrating our Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award recipient!

The conference agenda and a link to register will be posted in early September.

NB FINFISH STRATEGY SUPPORTS SALMON FARMERS’ ROLE IN FOOD SECURITY AND ECONOMY

The release of the New Brunswick’s 2022-30 Finfish Aquaculture Growth Strategy marks an important step forward for this province’s vibrant salmon farming sector.

As the home to the first commercial salmon farm in North America over four decades ago, New Brunswick is considered the heart of salmon farming in Atlantic Canada. The Province of New Brunswick has supported the development of salmon farming since its beginnings, including industry innovations such as the Aquaculture Bay Management System, green sea lice treatments and the world’s first wild salmon conservation farm located in Dark Harbour.

We applaud the Province of New Brunswick for clearly recognizing the importance of salmon farming to our food security and economy. The strategy establishes an achievable and promising path forward for the industry, which in turn will help grow our entire province and support New Brunswickers.

The strategy includes key milestones for exciting technological advancements such as post-smolt systems which will require several provincial agencies to work together to make this achievable. Post-smolt systems allow our farmers to grow their fish longer and larger on land and reduce the time our fish are exposed to the marine environment by 50 per cent. 

The Province of New Brunswick has deemed aquaculture one of its most promising industries for growth, and we look forward to working with the Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries and other stakeholders to see this strategy successfully implemented.

Salmon farming is an incredibly dynamic, diverse, and ever-evolving industry that plays an important role in sustainable communities. A 2020 study found that the total economic impacts of the farmed salmon sector amounted to just under $2 billion in output and $800 million in GDP, about $350 million in salaries for more than 8,000 workers in Atlantic Canada. Atlantic Canadian salmon farmers grow 343 million climate-friendly and healthy meals annually.  

Susan Farquharson
Executive Director
Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association

Science & Research Coordinator Earns 2021 Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award

ACFFA auction raises $2500 for Charlotte County Cancer Society

Betty House, a veteran Science & Research Coordinator for the salmon farming sector, is the recipient of the 2021 Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award.

Aquaculture professionals came together both in-person and virtually for the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association’s Annual Science, Research and Technology Forum this week in St. Andrews, NB where the award was presented to House. Watch a video celebrating House and her work . A live auction held during the forum dinner raised $2,500 for the Charlotte County Cancer Society.

“Betty House is a passionate champion of aquaculture, of the science-based research behind it and the people who work in it. She’s truly one of our industry pioneers,” says Tom Taylor, Chair of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA). “Her work as ACFFA’s Science and Technology Coordinator has been crucial to the evolution and continued sustainable growth of Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming sector.”

A graduate of Memorial University’s Bachelor of Science program and the Fisheries and Marine Institute’s Advanced Aquaculture program, House’s career in aquaculture has spanned three decades. She began her career on salmonid farms as an aquaculturist, then working at a Newfoundland eel farm before moving to New Brunswick to become one of the few women in our region at the time to work as a marine site technician on a haddock farm and later as a fish health technician on salmon farms. In 2008, she took on the role of Saltwater Certification Coordinator at Kelly Cove Salmon – a position that laid the foundation for today’s third-party audited farm certification programs in our region.

In 2009, the New Brunswick Salmon Growers’ Association - now known as the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association – was fortunate to hire House as its Research & Development Coordinator (now called Science and Technology Coordinator). For the past 12 years, House has coordinated science, research, and innovation activities for Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming sector. She organizes the speakers for ACFFA’s annual Aquaculture Research, Science and Technology Forum that attracts researchers from around the globe to exchange information on topics ranging from innovative production approaches to fish health and environmental management to new farming technology. In 2010, House led a comprehensive pilot project on well-boat technology that transformed how salmon farmers handle sea lice in Atlantic Canada.

House coordinates the salmon farming sector’s participation in an innovative partnership that is revolutionizing wild salmon restoration. Her work with all the partners in Fundy Salmon Recovery has been crucial to the success of this project which has resulted this year alone in over 100 wild salmon returns in Fundy National Park rivers, the highest numbers in three decades. Seeing this many Atlantic salmon return to the park rivers brings biologists hope that these adults will spawn a large number of strong, healthy juveniles helping to bring back this iconic endangered fish.

“There’s nothing quite like the feeling you get when you put a wild salmon back into its native river,” says House. “It’s like being a part of nature, part of the ecosystem and delivering a missing member of that system into the rivers where it will have an impact on many future generations and help the healing.”

Taylor says House is often described as ‘the glue’ that brings people and projects together.

“She has earned a reputation for technical and organizational excellence as she guides and coordinates research and innovation efforts,” says Taylor. “Betty’s focus always is: how can we do this better and continue to grow? Her leadership is remarkable when it comes to bringing forward new ideas and following through with planning, execution and follow-up.”

Approximately 155 salmon farmers, industry stakeholders, scientists, researchers, provincial and federal government representatives, and community members participated in ACFFA’s 2021 Forum at the Huntsman Fundy Discovery Centre in St. Andrews. Of the 155 participants, 88 attended virtually.

“I’m surprised and humbled by this award. I have been fortunate to work with a large number of very smart people in the aquaculture sector over the years who have taught me a lot and introduced me to the many facets of this industry that most people don’t get an opportunity to see,” says House. “We’ve seen many changes within the industry, and though some frustrations and challenges remain, we stay because we share a love of fish farming and growing food, despite the days with -25 windchill and long hours. We enjoy working together to see the industry grow and improve.”

ACFFA established the Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award in 2017. The award honours an industry professional who has dedicated more than 25 years or more in the areas of science, environment and technology in support of the sustainable development of salmon aquaculture in Atlantic Canada.

ACFFA is an industry-funded association working on behalf of Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming industry in addition to a wide range of service and supply companies and organizations. Salmon farming employs over 8,000 people in our region and has a total economic output of $2 billion annually in Atlantic Canada.

For more information, please contact:
Susan Farquharson, Executive Director
Ph: 506-755-3526
Email: info@atlanticfishfarmers.com

T-Shirt Campaign Celebrates Salmon Farming and Supports Wild Atlantic Salmon Recovery

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) has launched a summer t-shirt campaign to celebrate the region’s salmon farming sector while supporting wild Atlantic Salmon Recovery.

“We’ve got the t-shirt you need this summer!” says Susan Farquharson, ACFFA Executive Director. “They look great and raise money for a great cause!”

Starting today, ACFFA is selling LIMITED EDITION “Atlantic Canada Grown, Atlantic Canada Proud” t-shirts designed by New Brunswick graphic designer Lindsay Vautour and printed by New Brunswick’s Printworks Custom Apparel.

Proceeds from the t-shirt campaign will support Fundy Salmon Recovery – an innovative partnership that is recovering endangered Atlantic salmon through the world’s first Wild Salmon Marine Conservation Farm on Grand Manan Island in New Brunswick. This project is an innovative collaboration of scientists, conservationists, salmon farmers, First Nations and governments working together to protect young salmon, improve their chances of survival in the ocean environment and build more productive ecosystems.

“This entirely new approach to restoring Canada’s iconic wild Atlantic salmon is seeing tremendous success,” says Farquharson. “Salmon farmers continue to be passionate about contributing their experience, knowledge, skills and equipment toward helping to save this species from extinction.”

Farquharson said she hopes the t-shirts give Atlantic Canadians a stylish way to show their pride in the vibrant industry created in this region while supporting its role in wild salmon recovery.

“This is a great way to celebrate the incredible sector Atlantic Canadians have built and the tremendous potential that exists for our region to continue to help feed the growing population while reducing the pressure on the wild fisheries,” she says.

Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming sector generates more than 8000 jobs and contributes over $2 billion to the Canadian GDP. Our farmers grow 323 million meals of salmon every year in Atlantic Canada (RAIS Inc.2020), which helps to meet the global demand for seafood. The Food and Agriculture Organization - United Nations (2020) listed aquaculture as one of the top five priorities to address climate change. Regional surveys have consistently found 80 per cent of Atlantic Canadians support aquaculture and agree that local salmon farming is a reliable and sustainable source of protein.

You can order your limited edition “Atlantic Grown, Atlantic Proud” shirt at our online store. The shirts cost $26 each, including shipping and taxes. Deadline to order is August 13, 2021.

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) is an industry-funded association working on behalf of Atlantic Canada’s salmon farming industry in addition to a wide range of service and supply companies and organizations.

For more information, please contact:

Susan Farquharson
ACFFA Executive Director
506-755-3526
info@atlanticfishfarmers.com

Atlantic Canada’s Salmon-Farming Sector Promotes Sustainable Communities

Fundy Salmon Recovery project. Photo by Nigel Fearon

Atlantic Business Magazine - July 2021

They come with different backgrounds, expertise, and achievements, but the one thing all members of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association share is an origin story woven into the fabric of their communities.

“Our industry’s corporate social responsibility is on display every time we work on wild salmon conservation and coastal cleanups and local humanity and youth activities,” says Susan Farquharson, the organization’s Executive Director. “It’s baked in to everything we do.”

With 80 members – farmers, feed producers, support organizations, and regulatory agencies – the ACFFA represents an industry that contributes more than $2 billion, and over 8,000 jobs, each year to the Atlantic Canadian economy through research-intensive, environmentally and commercially responsible aquaculture.

“This is very much a science-based business,” Farquharson says. “Our members are global experts working directly in a field that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations stated is one of the top five priority areas for saving the world’s oceans.”

That means working locally and collaboratively on programs and applying new technologies to rehabilitation efforts aimed at conserving wild marine and freshwater resources in their own backyards and across Atlantic Canada.

The Inner Bay of Fundy (iBoF) Salmon Recovery Project, for example, is an award-winning collaboration – ACFFA, Cooke Aquaculture, The Fort Folly First Nations Habitat Recovery Program, the Village of Grand Manan, the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, several federal government departments, and the Atlantic Salmon Law Enforcement Coalition – that’s made strides through a full-scale effort to save the species from extinction.

“This is a wonderful example of how scientists, conservationists, salmon farmers, First Nations and governments use their combined expertise to create a tangible impact on the recovery of an at-risk species that might not otherwise be possible,” Farquharson says.

The work continues, uniting a diverse membership with a sturdy principle that resonates both in Atlantic Canada and beyond: Corporate social responsibility is a collective commitment to sustainable communities.