“Our Government’s goal with AIMAP is to encourage the aquaculture sector to develop and adopt innovative technologies and management techniques,” said Nanaimo-Alberni MP James Lunney, who made the announcement on behalf of Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Minister Gail Shea. “When we invest in our aquaculture industry, we are investing in improved environmental performance and productivity, as well as sustainable jobs in British Columbia today and for years to come.”
Under AIMAP, the federal government is investing $23.5 million over the next five years to support the development of a vibrant and sustainable Canadian aquaculture industry that contributes to the economies of rural, coastal and First Nations communities.
These two recent AIMAP projects, being led by Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) Centre for Shellfish Research and Below Sea Level Oyster Co., include work to develop a prototype for a new shellfish raft design, test it, and introduce it to the industry at large; and to test a predatory Red Rock crab deterrent method that is non-lethal and cost-effective.
