Sustainable Aquaculture

This project focused on the commercialization of kelp and other new aquaculture species. This project worked with a variety of aquaculture companies and coastal First Nations.

Project Dates: March 2013 – November 2018

Funding Amount: $1.2 million

Students Hired: 6

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Project Summary

Our applied research program in Sustainable Aquaculture was initiated in 2013 and comprised of two phases. The first (2013-2018) included partners from the BC Salmon Farmers Association, focused on the development of automated water quality instrumentation for climate/ocean change monitoring and explored the potential of co-culturing kelp (as nutrient extraction species) adjacent to salmon farm operations.

The later phase furthers our research with seaweed aquaculture, assessing the technical and socio-economic aspects of co-culture with a variety of shellfish species (cockle, geoduck, scallops, sea cucumbers) and the inherent ecosystem services marine plants provide – ocean acidification, carbon and nutrient sequestration. Research includes First Nation partners from the BC Central Coast to south, west, and North Vancouver Island. We have also engaged BC Timber Sales in this initiative.

Research Team

Partners

Project Outcomes

• NSERC Project Summary
• Project Abstract

News stories and coverage

• Interest growing in Canada’s ‘other weed’
  Aquaculture North America
  June 12, 2018
• Why aren’t we farming seaweed?
  Campbell River Mirror
  March 8, 2018
• BC kelp farming is untapped resource
  BC Business
  July 20, 2017
• Farming Kelp to Meet Industry Demand
  Skin Inc.
  February 29, 2016
• Researchers at work on new kelp source for natural cosmetics
  Cosmetics Design
  February 10, 2016
• Learning from and by the sea
  MacLean’s
  February 1, 2016
• National Observer: Could seaweed be a salve to debate over salmon farming

 

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) align with the college’s commitment to community well-being and sustainability. By integrating SDGs into applied research at NIC, we drive innovation that supports regional development while addressing critical social, environmental and economic priorities.