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Performance Reporting Core Business Area 2: Fisheries and Aquaculture Management
Goal 2: Optimum economic benefit to British Columbia from fisheries and aquaculture while protecting the environment.Outcome: Growth in production and value of the fisheries and aquaculture industries to provide employment and wealth in coastal communities. Fisheries and aquaculture contribute to the economy of B.C. and its coastal communities. There are opportunities for growth, and the ministry is looking for ways to expand the value of the aquaculture and wild fisheries sectors while maintaining environmental and social sustainability.
Objective 1: An expanded aquaculture sector (finfish and shellfish) with improved financial viability and minimal environmental impact within 3 years. Strategies:
Performance Measures and Results A key performance measure to monitor expansion of the aquaculture sector is the number of licences granted (salmon licences and shellfish licences) and the value of production.
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| Relocation of poorly sited finfish farms | Nine of 37 proposed relocations completed and 10 have provincial approvals and are awaiting Canadian Environmental Assessment Act approval. The remaining 18 are no longer being considered for relocation, are on hold at the proponent's request, or are under review by Land and Water British Columbia (LWBC). Three of 13 new site applications have been completed. |
Development of the Sector:
| Renewing B.C. fisheries | Assessment of the B.C. seafood sector and tidal water recreational fishery was completed in February 2004. The report provides a comprehensive, third-party look at the B.C. seafood and tidal water recreational sectors and demonstrates provincial commitment to the industry's visions for sector growth. The assessment will help to guide policy development to renew the fishery and provide benchmarks against which to monitor sector performance. |
| First Nations involvement in B.C. fisheries and aquaculture | The ministry continued to co-ordinate more than $1 million in contribution agreements under the Economic Measures Fund (EMF) with First Nations to support economic development in coastal communities including shellfish business planning, co-ordination and training. |
| Shellfish aquaculture development | A total of 19 new shellfish farms were licensed, of which 10 were to First Nations. The new farms are expected to support 51 jobs and $4.5 million in economic activity. |
An Improved and Harmonized Compliance and Enforcement Regime:
| Dramatic reduction in fish escapes | Only 40 fish were reported as lost in 2003 — a dramatic reduction over previous years despite more rigorous reporting requirements. |
| Compliance with waste management and escape standards | MAFF Licensing and Compliance Branch staff inspected all active finfish farms in 2003 to ensure compliance with mandatory reporting of escapes and other regulatory provisions. These inspections assess regulatory and policy issues for MAFF, WLAP and LWBC in keeping with a joint agency service agreement. Results will be released early in fiscal year 2004/05. |
| Fish health | The routine monitoring of fish health on farms on an industry-wide basis continued under the audit and surveillance program.
Sea lice monitoring was increased for spring migration of juvenile salmon as part of the agreed provincial protocol, and farms are reporting lice numbers on a provincial website monthly. Industry is reporting all causes of mortality and fish health events on a quarterly basis to the ministry from the British Columbia Salmon Farming Association database. This quarterly reporting and the ministry's unique monitoring program provides up-to-date sea lice and health information for farmed salmon. |
| Inspection of shellfish sites | Ministry fisheries inspectors conducted more than 20 planned inspections, and additional ad hoc inspections at other shellfish farms based on liaison with client agencies and/or complaints received. |
Objective 2: Greater provincial influence over federal policy and management of the BC wild fishery to increase revenues to the B.C. seafood sector.
Strategies:
- Work with the federal government to establish a new working relationship to reflect current issues and needs.
Performance Measures and Results
The primary measure of success will be the development and implementation of a new federal-provincial framework that increases the province's influence on decision-making in areas of federal jurisdiction. In July 2003, Canada and B.C. signed an agreement establishing the Pacific Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers (PCFAM). The ministry is focusing now on turning this working agreement into an operational arrangement.
| Measure | Baseline | 2003/04 Target | 2003/04 Actual |
|---|---|---|---|
| A new relationship with the federal government regarding provincial influence on fisheries and aquaculture decision making |
Several agreements in place — but poorly operationalized; sporadic federal-provincial contact at senior levels |
Important elements of agreements operationalized; new working relationship defined; regular federal-provincial contact at all levels |
On target: On July 23, 2003, B.C. and Canada ministers responsible for fisheries signed a new bilateral Agreement on Pacific Council of Fisheries Ministers, based on the principles of interjurisdictional co-operation. The Agreement flows from the Multilateral Agreement on Inter-jurisdictional Co-operation. Agreement amended in December 2003 to include the Yukon government and aquaculture. |
| Note: | The PCFAM will address issues related to:
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