Will Canada’s farmed cod industry rival Norway’s?
Seattle (WA), USA:
While Norway is predicting an ambitious cod
production capacity of more than 400,000 tonnes by 2015, another region may
give it a run for its money in the decade to come as its ramps up production
and opens a major cod hatchery.
According to a recently released report from
Canada’s Commissioner for Aquaculture Development, Canada has the capacity
to produce 128,000 tonnes of cod worth CA $545 million by 2015. In order to
meet this goal, farmers would have to develop four to six cod hatcheries and
120 growout sites.
Newfoundland, for one, is already taking steps towards that objective. The
province’s industry has grown close to 2000 percent - from 11 mt in 1998
to 227 mt in 2002 - to reach a value of $900,000.
In addition, the province, which has granted eight licenses for cod
aquaculture so far, is currently reviewing another 12 applications, Alex
Marland, director of communications for Newfoundland’s Department of
Fisheries and Aquaculture, told IntraFish.
The companies involved in cod aquaculture include North Atlantic Cod Farms
Corporation, Sapphire Sea Farms Ltd., Marinus Bio Resources, Newfoundland
Aqua Ventures Inc., and Ice Water Marine Farms Ltd.
Marland noted that some Norwegian companies have also expressed interest in
developing cod sites in the province’s Bay d’Espoir and Fortune Bay
areas.
In addition, production capacity will be bolstered this spring when Northern
Cod Ventures opens a $3.5 million cod hatchery in Bay Roberts capable of
producing six million juveniles. The company plans to produce 32,000 metric
tonnes by 2010.
Marland noted that Newfoundland is a good geographic fit for cod production
and that the technology developed for salmon farming will be applied towards
growth in cod aquaculture. “Ready markets exist for cod, particularly in
the U.S., a traditional trading partner for Newfoundland cod. Our province
has sites and an environment well suited to this species. There is
considerable potential and optimism surrounding commercial cod aquaculture
in our province.”
Meanwhile, another Atlantic Canada province is also investing in the
species. New Brunswick-based Grand Harbour Cod Company placed over 100,000
fingerlings in the Bay of Fundy last summer and plans to harvest its first
crop of fish this fall, according to project consultant Bob Sweeney.
In an earlier interview with IntraFish, Sweeney said that Grand Harbour is
planning to place an additional 500,000 to 700,000 juvenile cod in the water
in 2004. He added that a number of salmon farming companies have shown
interest in cod from the area, including Cooke Aquaculture, which bought
40,000 fingerlings in 2003.
Newfoundland Cod Production:
Tonnes: 11 in 1998; 105 in 1999; 155 in 2000; 207 in
2001; 227 in 2002
Value (CA): $ 83,000 in 1998; 335,000 in 1999;
495,000 in 2000; 525,000 in 2001; 900,000 in 2002