A sink-or-swim moment for on-land fish farming in Canada

As Canada transitions away from open net pen fish farming, raising fish in land-based tanks is being explored as a possible replacement to fill the gap and help protect wild salmon. But the economic viability of expanding the industry in British Columbia faces financial and logistical challenges. As one of the only land-based fish farms in the country, Kuterra began as an Atlantic salmon farm but last year switched to steelhead trout. It operates on land leased by the 'Namgis First Nation near Port McNeill on Vancouver Island. The company farmed Atlantic salmon up until last year, when it was forced to change to steelhead after a breakdown with their supplier. Land-based fish farming has struggled to get off the ground in B.C. — despite 120 First Nations being in support of a transition from open net pen farming to land-based solutions, and time running out for open net pen farms to operate on the West Coast. Industry hurdles like secure supply of hatchlings, a future-proof feed ...