This document summarizes an presentation on opportunities in urban agriculture related to aquaculture and aquaponics. It provides an overview of aquaculture trends in Canada and Ontario, describes various aquaculture and aquaponics business models operating in Ontario, reviews regulations around aquaculture licensing, and lists upcoming aquaculture and aquaponics training workshops. The presentation explores opportunities for small-scale fish farming and integrated aquaponics systems in an urban context.

1. Opportunities in Urban
Agriculture:
Aquaculture and
Aquaponics
Steve Naylor, OMAFRA
steve.naylor@ontario.ca

2. In the next 20 minutes…
Overview of Aquaculture in Canada and
Ontario
Aquaculture & aquaponics opportunities
Asian Live Fish Markets
Organic fish & aquaponics farming in
Canada
Do I need licenses, permits or …??
Further aquaculture & aquaponics
educational opportunities
2

3. Future
Supply
Aquaculture is the
fastest growing
food sector on the
planet
 “By 2020, ½ of all
fish and seafood
will be derived
from aquaculture”
(FAO 2000)
 at 48% in 2010

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Canadian Aquaculture
(farm-gate)
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
180,000
200,000
1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008
Tonnes
Value (x$1,000)
Tonnes Value

5. Distribution of
Trout Farms in
Ontario

7. Pond
Culture
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9. Raceway Culture
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10. Circular Tank Culture
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11. Early Rearing Raceway
Pilot test with Largemouth Bass
Designed by Gintas Kamaitis
(gkamaitis@gmail.com)

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Agrimarine
– Aberfoyle Quarry

13. Aquaponics in Ontario

14. What is AQUAPONICS?
Aquaculture
Hydroponics
Aquaponics
A sustainable method of agriculture where
fish and plants and grown together in a
hydroponic system

15. Aquaponics is a hydroponic
method
Feed the fish
Effluents fertilize
water
Water pumped
through a
hydroponic system
Plants use
nutrients filtering
the water
Clean water
returned to the
fish

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Four Seasons Greens – Muskoka

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Fresh City Farms, Toronto

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Fresh City Farms, Downsview, Tilapia tank

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Aqua Greens
Mississauga
Indoor, Stacked,
Lighting

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aquagreens.ca

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Trend Aqua – Niagara-on-the-Lake

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GTA live fish markets

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The Live Tilapia Market in Toronto
• Live tilapia market in the GTA is 2 - 2,500,000 lbs a year
Farm-gate price ~$2.75 lb (wholesale price – large quantities)
• Currently supplied by 1 farm and a co-operative in the US
and a tilapia farm in Ontario that supply 2 fish brokers who
control the live fish market in the GTA
• 6 commerical RAS tilapia farms have failed in Ontario in the
last 15 years that were supplying some of the live market.
• Flawed retrofits, inefficient & poor design, high energy costs,
small farm size… and the competition got fierce with very low
price of live tilapia coming up from the US.
• Sandplains Aquaculture in Ingersoll area started production
early 2013. They are a major supplier to the 2 live fish brokers
in the GTA.

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36. Aquaculture Regulation
Principal Government Agencies
Municipal
Conservation Authorities
Ministry of Natural Resources
Ministry of the Environment
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Health Canada 36

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Aquaculture License – Aquaculture
Regulations (664/98) under the FWCA
You need a licence(s) to culture/buy/sell
fish and transport live fish in Ontario.
The only exemption from the need for an
aquaculture licence is if the fish are cultured
in an aquarium for personal use or the
aquarium trade (O.Reg.664/98 s.24). There
is also an exemption from the need for a
licence to buy/sell goldfish, koi and tilapia if
they are bought or sold for the purpose of the
aquarium trade (O.Reg.664/98 s.24(2)).

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Size of a commercial operation is not a
factor. Raising fish in an aquarium, but
selling them for anything other than the
aquarium trade, an Aquaculture Licence
is still required.
The small, plastic or concrete lined
ornamental water garden is considered
an aquarium (if for personal use or
aquarium trade), and would not require a
licence.

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Target Marine – Sechelt, BC
White Sturgeon, Coho Salmon
Organic Aquaponics

41. If you would like more information on
organic production …
• Organic fish feed – current Canadian feed mill
supplying organic feed is Taplow Feeds, BC
• to get copies of the proposed standards go to the
Canadian General Standards Board @
• http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/ongc-
cgsb/publications/nouvelles-news/biologique-
organic-eng.html
• Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance @
www.aquaculture.ca
– Under “environment” tab
• Certifier – Cormac O’Sullivan at Global Trust
• cormac.osullivan@saiglobal.com 1-800-465-3717 x8752

42. Alma Aquaculture Research Station

43. Getting Started in Aquaculture
& Aquaponics Workshops
• At the Alma Aquaculture Research
Station – limited to 20, Full-day, $100
• Next workshop: November 19, 2015
• Contact Dave Bevan at the Aquaculture
Center at the University of Guelph
• dbevan@ontario.ca
• or steve.naylor@ontario.ca
• www.aps.uoguelph.ca/aquacentre/aqua
centre/getting-started-in-
aquaculture.html 43

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NOA Fisheries - 3 DAY AQUAPONICS COURSE
December 27-29, 2015 – Whitby Farm
This exciting course will give you all of the information you need to design and maintain
an aquaponic system of any size.
Dr. Nick Savidov – Lethbridge College Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons – University of Arizona
John Derksen – Lethbridge College
Fred Rutman – Professor of Marketing and Finance
Steve Naylor – Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Cara McCreary – Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Sarah Zeldman – Social Media Trainer
Registration $899, Student $399
Jason or Tamar @ 416-546-6623
- See more at: http://www.noafisheries.ca/aquaponics-workshop

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http://www.ncrac.org/files/MarketMaker-Pub-0034.pdf

46. Email me if you’d like a copy of
the presentation with links and
contacts
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Steve Naylor
OMAFRA
steve.naylor@ontario.ca
(519) 826-3172