Funding helps BC aquaculture ops go greener

The three received a portion of the $1.1 million in funds from the Fisheries and Aquaculture Clean Technology Adoption Program, which helps businesses deploy clean-technology solutions.

The Taste of BC Aquafarms, a land-based steelhead producer in Nanaimo, BC, was granted roughly $32,000 (C$43,488) for the installation of a solar-powered water-heating system. Company president Steve Atkinson said eliminating the farm’s oil-fired broiler would shrink the farm’s carbon emissions by 17 tonnes.

Brown’s Bay Packing Co in Campbell River, BC received about $312,000 (C$424,219) in funding for equipment that will prevent bacteria and viruses from fish processing waste from entering the marine environment. The company was in the news in December 2017 after photos surfaced showing “blood water” from the facility was being released into the ocean.

Sth’oqi Aquaculture Ltd of Chilliwack, BC received roughly $74,000 (C$100,000) to install a machine to convert fish waste into fertilizer and low-carbon energy and use it to power their land-based aquaculture facility.

“In the modern world the environment and the economy must go hand in hand, which is why our government is making strategic investments to help BC based businesses adopt clean technology that will enable improvements in both environmental and business performance,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. “These investments will assist in ensuring enhanced protection of our marine environment and will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The investments will also support good middle class jobs in coastal communities.”