Industry Background

BC Shellfish Aquaculture Industry

Species Farmed in BC

Shellfish culture is the oldest sector of the aquaculture industry on the west coast of North America . The commercial culture of the Pacific oyster in BC began soon after it was first introduced from the Far East in 1912.

Currently, the BC shellfish aquaculture industry is concentrated primarily on the production of Pacific oysters and Manila clams. Virtually all of the commercial harvest of BC oysters comes from aquaculture while the aquacultural production of clams is steadily increasing.

During the 1990s, aquacultural production of Manila clams was only one third the size of the wild harvest clam harvest. However, in 2003, aquacultural production was equivalent to that of the wild industry – providing another example of how the growing demand for seafood can only be met by farming.

In addition to Pacific oysters and Manila clams, other shellfish species commercially produced by BC aquaculturists include the European oyster, the littleneck clam, the Japanese (Pacific) weathervane scallop, the blue and Gallo mussel, and - most recently - the geoduck clam.

Marine species being considered - or under early development – for culture in BC include: abalone, sea cucumber, sea urchins, kelp & seaweed, and cockles.

The Size of the BC Shellfish Aquaculture Industry

Currently, there are 460 (BC Agriculture & Lands) licensed shellfish tenures occupying 2114 hectares in BC. With the exception of one farm in the Queen Charlotte Islands and one south of Prince Rupert , all tenures are located within the Strait of Georgia or around Vancouver Island.

Tenure locations within the Strait of Georgia and around Vancouver Island.

Average tenure size throughout the province is 4.39 hectares. Approximately 35% of all tenures are less than 2 hectares in size, while less than 10% of the tenures are more than 10 hectares; only 5 tenures are greater than 30 hectares. Accounting for 29% of the tenure area and 52% of shellfish farmgate value, Baynes Sound is the most important shellfish growing area in BC.

In 2003, the BC shellfish aquaculture industry had a wholesale value of $30.9 million. Much of the economic benefit and impact associated with the industry remains in the coastal communities of Vancouver Island and BC's mainland. Analysis shows that 78 cents of every dollar spent in direct industry purchases remains in the local economy.

Workforce

Shellfish aquaculture provides permanent, year round employment in rural and coastal areas where jobs are scarce and the percentage of displaced resource workers is high.

Compared to other industries - a higher percentage of each dollar made in shellfish farming goes to jobs. On a percentage basis, the industry spends more on wages than other sectors such as terrestrial agriculture and fishing.

Currently, 700 -1000 direct jobs that can be attributed to the BC shellfish aquaculture industry. Workers under the age of thirty hold approximately 50% of those jobs. In addition to direct jobs, there are approximately 600 jobs associated with industries that supply and service shellfish aquaculture. This ‘spin off' employment is also located in rural coastal communities - rather than in the larger urban centres.

Shellfish Aquaculture and the Revitalization of Coastal Communities

The continued decline of the traditional resource industries of forestry, fishing and mining has greatly impacted BC's rural coastal communities: nearly 9000 people have moved away from BC's rural coastal areas during the past decade. As a result, while BC enjoyed an overall population growth rate of 4.9% during this period, its rural coast suffered a population decline of 2.7%.

In addition to the declining population, the average unemployment rate in many of these communities is extremely high. For example, a study of 12 First Nations communities on BC's central and north coast reported an average unemployment rate of over 60% - with the percentage of the workforce employed in fisheries and forestry declining markedly over the past decade.

Many economic studies have declared that the expansion of the shellfish aquaculture industry could contribute significantly to the economic revitalization of these communities. One study predicted that the BC shellfish aquaculture industry has the potential to undergo an economic expansion to $100 million. This expansion could create approximately 1000 new jobs – most of these jobs would be located in coastal communities.

Industry Structure

While it is anticipated that the industry is poised for a structural reorganization to take place, the great majority of shellfish operators are still small companies, many of which are family owned.