LITTLE CURRENT—Ontario’s rainbow trout growers now have a clear strategy for expansion into the United States. The Northern Ontario Aquaculture Association (NOAA) has developed tools to guide an export development program that includes market, customer and competitor assessments, and the development of a positive ‘language framework’ to support fish farming as a sustainable and economically important activity.
“For many years we have been unable to meet the needs of the Ontario market due to demand being higher than production volumes,” said Karen Tracey, executive director of NOAA. “Even though there was interest from the United States, we weren’t able to supply them with our farmed rainbow trout. Our Strategy for Sustainable Aquaculture Development in Ontario (2009) proposed a modest, sustainable growth of 10 percent per year over 10 years and we’re starting to achieve that now, so it was a good time to look at export markets.”
“NOAA staff readily committed to training and upgrading in order to implement and manage the strategy,” said Ms. Tracey. “The reality is people want fresh seafood and aquaculture is a proven, sustainable, long-term solution for providing society with healthier seafood while respecting the environment.”
The strategy and framework for implementation was presented to farmers, processors, suppliers and industry leaders at the NOAA annual general meeting in April. The process will be summarized in a white paper and evaluated through a matrix developed as one of the business tools in the capacity building program.
“The (NOAA) is demonstrating real progress in creating new market opportunities for Ontario raised, fresh, sustainable aquaculture products,” said Jeff Leal, minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Ontario’s rainbow trout and broader aquaculture industry is a great example of the innovation and potential for growth that exists in Ontario’s agri-food sector.”
This project was funded in part through Growing Forward 2 (GF2), a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of GF2 in Ontario.
