Ecological and Economic Impact Assessment of Sablefish Aquaculture in British Columbia

Principal Investigators

Ussif Rashid Sumaila
John Volpe (University of Alberta)

Co-Investigator

Yajie Liu

Collaborators

Canadian Sablefish Association

Research Project Description

Objective
To explore the potential costs and benefits of introducing sablefish farming in BC.

A. Ecological Issues:

  • Profile and characterization of disease / parasite issues and likelihood for wild-farm-wild transfers
  • Potential impacts of escapees on wild stock genetic structure
  • Foreign ecological footprint of sablefish aquaculture in terms of reliance on fishmeal
  • Local ecological footprint of sablefish aquaculture in terms of organic / inorganic wastes, therapeutants
    with particular reference to site locations and life-history specific impacts
  • Future stability of wild stocks and commercial harvest
  • Ecological lessons from salmon aquaculture in B.C.

B. Economic Issues:

  • Evaluating, in economic terms the potential ecological effects of aquaculture (disease, escapes, and fishmeal)
  • Addressing the supply, demand and price effects of sablefish farming
  • Analyzing the potential economic impacts of fish price declines on fishers due to sablefish aquaculture
  • Contrasting the net social benefit of aquaculture to the private profits to private fish farmers
  • Taking into account the income distributional effects of sablefish farming
  • Economic lessons from salmon aquaculture in B.C.

Output

  • Ecological and economic impact assesstment of sablefish aquaculture in British Columbia (full report available here)

Project Duration

May to November, 2004

Funding Source

Canadian Sablefish Association