Fish Farming in the waters of Lake Huron started in the early 1980s with small proof-of- concept wooden cages that demonstrated a suitable rearing environment for rainbow trout. The sector has grown over the past four decades to produce over 5,000 tonnes of farmed aquaculture product for the Ontario, Quebec and Michigan markets. In 2022, the first net pen farm began operations in Lake Superior and has demonstrated considerable success.
Many obstacles needed to be overcome; from a lack of science, ice movement, increasing summer water temperatures, social license and invasive species. Farmers have shown great resiliency to the many challenges and developed new technologies and some very innovative approaches to deal with the challenges.
The industry has adopted certification protocols that similarly support the economic and ecological sustainability of the sector. The development and regulation of freshwater net pen aquaculture has been based on an investment in science to support best culture practices to minimize environmental impacts.
Over the past 30 years, there has been considerable involvement of Indigenous groups in the culture of Rainbow trout and, recently, Lake whitefish. Farms within First Nations territories now represent over 75% of the production on Lake Huron and all the emerging production from Lake Superior.
We will review the evolution of net pen culture in the Great Lakes and demonstrate the innovations that are taking place to ensure a future of responsible net pen farming in the face of a warming aquatic environment.