The 1st BCARDC Workshop on Finfish Aquaculture Waste Research was designed to develop consensus views on the relative importance of various knowledge gaps and emerging issues, and to recommend specific research priorities. The first workshop was convened over a two day period, during November 25th and 26th, 2003. A total of 56 scientific/technical experts from universities, the salmon aquaculture industry, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada, B.C. Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations, Aboriginal groups, and the Environmental Consulting Community were invited to participate in the workshop, based on two criteria: (i) relevant scientific and/or practical experience with the issues to be addressed; and (ii) broad, balanced multi-stakeholder representation.
The four major topic areas addressed at the workshop were:
- Organic enrichment in soft substrate environments;
- Hard and transitional seabed environments;
- Linkages between biological changes and farm operational characteristics; and
- Modelling approaches for the fate and effects of organic waste discharges.
