Canadian Atlantic Cod
This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. (November 2014) |
Canadian Atlantic cod (
Raising Atlantic cod
Almost all Atlantic cod are now produced through
The larvae (baby cod) are then transferred to larval tanks. During this stage the larvae are fed yolk from a yolk sack for 3 to 4 days. Once the larvae have grown large enough, they are fed ground plankton. After a duration of 35 to 40 days of feeding on plankton, the larvae undergo metamorphosis and are now fully considered fish. After metamorphosis, the fish are removed from the larval tanks and put into circular onshore tanks.
They remain in this stage for 6 months or until they reach 10–20 centimetres (3.9–7.9 in) in length.
Facilities and equipment
In commercial aquaculture, there are two main areas of farming: onshore facilities and offshore sea cages. In onshore facilities, there are a number of storage tanks that are key to the early development of cod and many other cold water fish. These livestock storage include incubators (where eggs are fertilized and allowed to hatch), larval tanks (slightly larger tanks where the larvae are grown), circular tanks (last stage before fish leave the onshore facility, where metamorphosis occurs), and storage tanks where the fish can be temporarily stored as they are transported from truck, to boat, to sea site.
Labor
In both onshore and offshore facilities, cod require daily maintenance. In onshore facilities, an estimated team of 4 or 5 laborers are required for daily tasks, which include feeding planktonic animals, regulating tank temperatures, monitoring the health of the fish, removing any sick fish, and general maintenance to the water facilities.[3]
Inputs
Cod are fed yolk, followed by planktonic animals (ground plankton) in the larval stage, and finally a pellet feed after leaving the onshore facility. The pellets fed to Atlantic cod are mostly grain based, which are made of fish oil, bone meal, vitamins and minerals.[3]
- Nutritional information
Once market size is reached, Atlantic cod fish offer a bounty of nutrients including a surplus amount of complete proteins,
- Benefits to Canada
Atlantic cod farming gives a direct 8000 full-time jobs in Canada and this number is growing.
- Constraints
After the near extinction of natural Atlantic cod in the wild, strict laws were made to prevent fishing of any sort. This led to aquaculture. However, the fishing industry in Canada is severely limited and regulated. 73 pieces of federal and provincial legislation regulates what is exactly allowed.[3]
Environmental sustainability
Aquaculture (fish farming) is used for all Atlantic cod production, so that the environment and natural (wild) fish species are essentially unaffected. Fish are sold without further processing, so little to none of the animal is wasted. The only environmental concern from Atlantic cod is excess nutrients produced in their feces. If left unfiltered in natural environments, these feces could lead to denitrification. However, in almost all commercial fish farms, feces are utilized (via vacuum) as liquid fertilizer, to be used for farm activities. Other beneficial environment factors are: factories are not required for further processing and feed source has minimal requirements from environment.[7] Finally aquaculture developments need in-depth environmental review which includes Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA), to prevent harm from ocean habitats.[3] Organic Atlantic cod is also available as an alternative product. These fish are prohibited from antibiotics, herbicides, GMOs, parasiticides and practices that minimize negative effects on the environment.[3][failed verification]
See also
Footnotes
- ^ Food and Agriculture Organization 2014.
- ^ Hutchings 2005, pp. 824–832.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o aquaculture.ca 2014.
- ^ a b robinson 2014.
- ^ Canadas Economic Action Plan 2012.
- ^ SELF Nutrition Data.
- ^ Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2016.
References
- "Near Shore Fisheries Research Vessels". Canadas Economic Action Plan. 2012.
- "Canadian Farmed Atlantic Cod : Species: Aquaculture in Canada: Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance". aquaculture.ca. December 4, 2014. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
- "Value Added". Fisheries and Oceans Canada. October 6, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
- "Yield and nutritional value of the commercially more important fish species". Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
- "Cultured Aquatic Species Information Programme". Food and Agriculture Organization. 2014.
- Hutchings, Jeffrey A (April 1, 2005). "Life history consequences of overexploitation to population recovery in Northwest Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)". Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 62 (4). Canadian Science Publishing: 824–832. ISSN 0706-652X.
- Robinson, A (November 5, 2014). "Personal Communication by lecture (AGR1110, University of Guelph)".
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) - "Fish, cod, Pacific, raw Nutrition Facts & Calories". SELF Nutrition Data. Retrieved March 13, 2020.