Seafood Sector Applauds Call for Proposal by Ocean Supercluster

February 28, 2024, Ottawa, ON – The Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC) and the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) applaud the Canada’s Ocean Supercluster’s (OSC) Sustainable Seafood Call for Proposals that was launched yesterday, February 27, 2024.

The OSC indicates its seafood call for proposals is to support development and adoption of sustainable seafood in the ocean sector and provide incremental investment into sustainable seafood solutions aligned with the goals of Ambition 2035. It is worth noting that Ambition 2035 was informed by the Blue Economy joint vision by FCC and CAIA which aspires Canada to be in the top 3 best quality and sustainable seafood producers by 2040.

Both FCC and CAIA are highlighting the innovation efforts in their respective sub-sectors. FCC published its Innovation Storyboard last fall while CAIA has recently hosted innovation showcases in Ottawa featuring emerging technologies in salmon farming.

The Sustainable Seafood 2024 call will support innovations across a broad range of sector operations and deliver new value creation opportunities for Canada’s seafood sector.

In response, FCC President, Paul Lansbergen said, “This call will advance innovations like those highlighted in our recent Innovation Storyboard. We have the longest coastline in the world. We have among the brightest minds. Now the Supercluster has a program focused on putting the two together.”

“Canadian aquaculture companies have for a long time been investing in enhancing their processes, to world-leading levels,” said Timothy Kennedy, CAIA President & CEO. He continued, “This call for proposals will encourage the development and adoption of new innovations that will continuously improve environmental performance while growing jobs, improving Canada’s food security, and ensuring healthy communities.”

-30-

The Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC) is the voice of Canada’s wild capture fish and seafood industry, promoting a healthy resource and prosperous industry playing a vital role in the Canadian economy. Our members include small, medium and larger-sized companies along with Indigenous enterprises that harvest and process fish from Canada’s three oceans.

Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) is the national association that speaks for Canada’s seafood farmers, representing their interests in Ottawa and internationally. CAIA members generate over $6 billion in economic activity, $2.45 billion in GDP, and employ over 25,000 Canadians delivering a healthy, growing and sustainable seafood farming sector in Canada.

For more information or to set up an interview please contact:

Dana Bulloch Associate, Porter O’Brien dana@porterobrien.com

Sheri Beaulieu Marketing & Communications Manager, CAIA sheri.beaulieu@aquaculture.ca