Invest in Canada's Fish and Seafood Industry
Surrounded by the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and home to uncounted lakes, Canada is an important maritime nation boasting the world's longest coastline (244,000 km).
Stretched out, Canada's coastline would circle the equator more than six times and represents 25 percent of all the coastline in the world. With more than 755,000 square kilometers of fresh water, Canada has 16 percent of the world's area of fresh water and four of the largest lakes in the world. Canada has one of the world's most valuable commercial fishing industries, worth more than US$ 4 billion a year of which US$ 2.3 billion is exported to the U.S. The industry provides more than 120,000 jobs for Canadians.
Value and Variety
Canada's clean, cold waters are home to more than 160 species of saltwater and freshwater fish and shellfish – from wild Pacific salmon and herring in British Columbia, to walleye pickerel and yellow perch in the freshwater lakes of Manitoba and Ontario, to lobster, snow crab and shrimp in Quebec and the Atlantic region. Primary processing plants are strategically located within easy access to the resource. Plants for value-added processing can be located anywhere, but are rarely more than a few hours away from major U.S. markets.
Opportunities in Aquaculture
Canada also has a growing aquaculture industry, with development taking place across the country. Major species under cultivation include Atlantic, coho and chinook salmon; blue mussels; Atlantic and Pacific oysters; and rainbow trout/steelhead salmon. Development work is ongoing in the culture of Atlantic cod, halibut, sablefish, tilapia, and a variety of shellfish species, including geoduck and abalone. A young, educated and technologically savvy workforce, combined with an almost perfect geography and climate and proximity to the U.S. give this industry significant competitive advantages. Industry analysts suggest that within 15 years, the total economic value of the Canadian aquaculture sector could exceed US$ 5 billion.
Consider Canada's Advantages for Investment
Access to the North American Market
The North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), provides Canada the opportunity to access more than 435 million consumers, duty-free.
Superior Workers and Management
Canada leads the world in the percentage of citizens with a university or college education. Canada's multilingual work force gives employers valuable resources to succeed in global markets.
National Health Care Cuts Business Costs
Canada's public health care system helps businesses maintain a healthy work force and provides an international competitive edge in offering total employee medical benefits.
The R&D Advantage
Canada's R & D tax environment is among the most generous in the industrialized world. Canada has a 10.1 percent advantage over the United States in the costs of doing R&D in biotechnology.
Quality Assured
Canada's fish-inspection and control system contributes to our worldwide reputation for safe, wholesome fish and seafood products. The HACCP-Based Quality Management Program (QMP), monitored by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, ensures that fish and seafood from Canada meet the rigorous standards required by the world's most demanding seafood markets.
Environmentally Responsible
Canadian's fish and seafood industry is committed to careful stewardship of the oceanand freshwater environments, recognizing their importance as a food resource and the need for balance in the eco-system.
Pure & Natural
Build on Canada's pure and natural advantages – clean air, pristine water, wide open spaces – and make the maple leaf your symbol of success.
Opportunity's Knocking
There are significant opportunities available in virtually every sector of the Canadian fish and seafood industry. However, because regulations differ from province to province, it is best to make specific inquiries to individual provinces. A complete contact list is available at www.seafoodcanada.gc.ca
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans regulates many aspects of the industry, including licensing access to wild resources. For example, there are restrictions that limit the percentage of foreign ownership in a corporation that holds fishing licences. www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
