Feasibility study of closed-containment options in Canada

Both government regulators and the Canadian salmon aquaculture industry face ongoing pressure to reduce the industry’s potentially adverse effects on the surrounding natural aquatic environment. One option currently being considered is “closed-containment,” a practice that involves enclosing fish in floating containers or land-based farms to minimise their impact on nearby waters.

Closed-containment can include a range of technologies and operating environments from ocean to land-based production systems with varying degrees of isolation from the environment. Typically, the more “closed” a system is, the more complex its management becomes, since its energy requirements are greater and waste can be more of an issue.

In 2008, the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) published a report entitled Potential Technologies for Closed-containment Saltwater Salmon Aquaculture. That report identified a need to analyze closed-containment technologies, and included economic recommendations. The goal of the current study is to use financial analysis tools to respond to the CSAS report. This study is therefore limited to financial considerations. Read more...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Aquaculturists, published and supported by the International Aquafeed Magazine from Perendale Publishers.