Area-Based Aquaculture Management (ABAM) is a new initiative in British Columbia (BC) which aims to have governments, stakeholders, and industry working together to spatially plan, manage, monitor, and improve aquaculture activities. This will occur within distinct geographical areas so the unique jurisdictional, ecological, social, cultural, and economic values can be considered.
In 2018, the former Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, announced that Canada would “work in partnership with the provinces and territories, industry, Indigenous partners, environmental groups and other stakeholders to ensure an economical and environmentally sustainable path forward” for aquaculture in BC.
To support this path forward, a proposed framework for ABAM was developed. The framework recommends concrete actions for ABAM to enhance the sustainability and introduce collaborative governance structures to aquaculture management in BC.
Enhancing coordination and collaboration between the Federal Government, the Province and Indigenous groups is a key focus of ABAM. Through collaboration, DFO hopes to advance reconciliation, strengthen the role of Indigenous groups in aquaculture planning and management, improve transparency and decision-making, adopt an ecosystem-based management approach, and improve social and economic benefits for communities in BC.
In Budget, 2021, DFO was granted $3M over two years (2022-2024) to pilot ABAM in BC. Area-based management approaches will be piloted at both a regional and area level. In Fall 2021, DFO invited interested partners to submit an expression of interest application for consideration for the initial pilot area(s) in BC. A decision on the pilot area(s) is anticipated in Spring 2022.
DFO will work with partners to develop a regional committee which will provide guidance from a province-wide perspective and the area committee(s) which will collaborate on tools and materials to support the pilot area and development of an area management plan.
During the ABAM Pilot, DFO will work with partners to demonstrate successes of area-based management approaches, build tools and materials, identify challenges, and share lessons learned to be carried forward in aquaculture management in BC.