Newfoundland aquaculture up 26 %
While both British Columbia and the Province of Newfoundland & Labrador are issuing an annual “Seafood Industry Year in Review” report, the latest one available from B.C. is for the year 2008. Some Quick Facts are however available for 2009, providing the key numbers for both wild and farmed seafood production in the Province. But the government of Newfoundland recently issued its complete report for 2010, which saw production increases for farmed salmon growing from about 5,000 tonnes worth some CAD$46 million (~€30 million) in 2007 to almost 13,000 tonnes valued at over CAD$110 million (~€79 million) last year.
Clayton Hunt of The Coaster provides more details;
One of the shining lights in the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture’s 2010 Seafood Industry Year in Review is the province’s aquaculture industry. According to the report, the aquaculture industry reached a record level of 15,360 tonnes last year, which was valued at $116 million (~€83 million). Production rose 13 per cent and the market value for aquaculture products increased by 26 per cent. This was due primarily to higher production in the salmonid sector as prices for salmon continue to be strong around the world.
In addition to an increase in exports in 2010, the aquaculture industry also saw an increase in direct employment from 655 employees in 2009 to 684 persons in 2010, an increase of 4.4 per cent. Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Clyde Jackman said that the aquaculture industry has a tremendous potential for growth in the Coast of Bays (COB) region.
Jackman said, “While at the Boston International Seafood Show on March 19 I attended five meetings, three of which was with aquaculture companies already established in the Coast of Bays.
“My intent in those meetings was to get updates on where these companies – Gray, Cooke and Ingalls – are right now and where they see things going. “I have to say that I walked away from these meetings feeling quite confident about the aquaculture industry in the province in general and in the COB region in particular.”
Jennifer Woodland is the president of the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association. Woodland said, “The growth in aquaculture is exciting for the companies involved in the fishery and for the communities involved as well. It’s great to realize that the demand for aquaculture products are growing as the quality of the product is excellent. All of this bodes really well for the people of rural Newfoundland as we have the potential to continue growing.”
