Rising Imports Prompt Industry Calls for Faster Approvals

With imported salmon entering Canadian grocery stores in amounts exceeding $750 million, local aquaculture advocates are calling for changes to rebuild domestic production. Data from an Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association report reveals that salmon imports doubled between 2016 and recent years, while national farmed salmon output dropped by more than 25 per cent during the same timeframe. Tom Taylor, executive director of the association, stated that Canada possesses the coastline, personnel, knowledge, and desire to raise the imported fish locally. To compensate for sharp drops in British Columbia—where ocean-based net-pen farming faces a 2029 ban—Taylor envisions doubling Atlantic Canadian salmon production, urging governments to cut project approval timelines by 50 per cent by 2030.

Conservation Groups Push Back Against Footprint Expansion

Environmental organizations oppose establishing new farm sites or broadening existing boundaries, citing risks to wild salmon and marine habitats. Neville Crabbe of the Atlantic Salmon Federation noted that existing coastlines in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick offer limited space for expansion, while half of the 112 licensed aquaculture sites surveyed in Newfoundland and Labrador during 2025 went unused for at least five years. Rather than creating new farms, Crabbe argued companies should focus on increasing productivity within their current footprint, stating: “One way to think of our position is to stay where you are, use what you have and do what you can.”

Producers Focus on Tech Upgrades and Regulatory Reforms

Industry leaders like Saint John-based Cooke Aquaculture, which operates roughly 130 sites and employs nearly 2,500 people regionally, are prioritizing yield improvements on existing farms while pursuing growth. Joel Richardson, Cooke’s vice-president of public relations, explained that adopting updated technology will allow the firm to grow larger fish in land-based facilities before transferring them to sea cages, enabling faster harvests. Nevertheless, Richardson noted that prolonged approval processes present a challenge, leading companies to consider investments elsewhere. Meanwhile, Matt Abbott of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick warned against relaxing regulations—such as allowing pest treatments in marine protected areas—stressing that industrial activities must remain restricted to protect surrounding marine ecosystems like lobsters.

Economic Factors Drive Debate Over Local Capacity

Rising retail costs are adding urgency to the discussion. Sylvain Charlebois, senior director at Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, pointed out that salmon price increases in August and September trailed only cottage cheese, with international shipping from distant sources like Chile and Norway driving up costs. Charlebois described importing salmon as “mind-boggling” when local capacity exists. While New Brunswick Aquaculture Minister Pat Finnigan expressed support for industry growth, he stopped short of setting specific approval targets, emphasizing that streamlining processes must occur without cutting corners on sustainability and responsibility.