Aquaculture, 2022
Released: 2023-11-24
Value of Canadian aquaculture industry in 2022 remains steady despite drop in production
Sales of aquaculture products and services remained relatively steady compared with 2021, increasing 0.4% to $1.4 billion in 2022. The aquaculture industry experienced a growth in sales despite a decrease in finfish production because the average price of finfish rose sharply.
In 2022, Canadian finfish production decreased 14.6% compared with 2021 to 125 907 tonnes. The average Canadian farmed finfish price rose 16.5% from 2021 to $9.67 per kilogram in 2022, as salmon prices reached $10.03 per kilogram. Canadian farmed shellfish production totalled 40 358 tonnes in 2022, up 4.2% from 2021. With this increased production, Canadian farmed shellfish prices also rose compared with 2021, up 7.2% to $3.10 per kilogram.
The gross output (+12.1%) and total product inputs (+14.2%) increased in 2022. The gross value added—which is the difference between gross output and total product inputs—increased by 2.1% from 2021 to $241.3 million in 2022.
Farmed finfish production increases on the West Coast but declines on the East Coast
In 2022, British Columbia's farmed finfish production rose 1.4% from 2021, increasing its share of Canadian farmed finfish production from 57.8% in 2021 to 68.6% in 2022. In addition to this increase in production, British Columbia saw record prices for farmed finfish, rising 22.7% compared with the previous year to $10.27 per kilogram.
In 2022, farmed finfish production in the Atlantic provinces declined 38.8% from 2021. Decreases in New Brunswick (-65.0%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (-48.2%)—the historically dominant finfish-producing Atlantic provinces—outweighed increases in Nova Scotia (+55.1%) and Prince Edward Island (+17.2%). The average farmed finfish price in the Atlantic provinces increased by 3.2% from 2021 to 2022, but, given the decline in production, the value of farmed finfish on the East Coast was down 36.9%.
Export quantities for farmed Atlantic salmon, including fillets, decreased 13.0% in 2022 compared with 2021. However, export prices rose 20.3% in 2022 to $12.39 per kilogram, resulting in a 4.7% increase in sales compared with one year earlier to $974.3 million in 2022. The United States accounted for 94.4% of total exports of Canadian farmed Atlantic salmon by quantity.
Steady growth of shellfish industry in Prince Edward Island and British Columbia
In 2022, Prince Edward Island, the country's primary producer of farmed shellfish (accounting for 52.9% of the national farmed shellfish production), increased production by 3.3% compared with 2021. In 2022, sales of farmed shellfish in Canada accounted for 9.3% of total sales of aquaculture products and services and increased 11.8% compared with 2021 to $125.0 million.
In 2022, Prince Edward Island—the largest producer of mussels in Canada—produced 2.4% more mussels than in 2021, totalling 17 440 tonnes. Meanwhile, British Columbia—the largest producer of oysters—produced 8 226 tonnes of oysters in 2022, 3.9% more than in 2021.
Global demand for Canadian mussels declined, as export quantities decreased 1.9% in 2022 compared with 2021. Over the same period, export prices rose 3.9%, and the total value of mussel exports increased 2.0% to $49.2 million.
Chart 1
Volume of finfish production
Chart 2
Value of finfish production
Chart 3
Export volumes of Atlantic salmon and Atlantic salmon fillets
Chart 4
Export values of Atlantic salmon and Atlantic salmon fillets
Note to readers
Revision: production and value estimates for oysters, clams, and total shellfish were revised for reference years 2020 and 2021 to remove their commercial fisheries component. The following geographies were revised: Prince Edward Island and Canada.
Aquaculture production and value data are provided annually by each of the provincial ministries responsible for aquaculture. Producers must report their production and value as part of their provincial licensing agreements.
Canadian export statistics are obtained from administrative records.
Revenue, expense and inventory data come from the 2022 Annual Survey of the Aquaculture Industry.
The publication Aquaculture Statistics was discontinued on November 17, 2016. All the data for this product can be found in tables 32-10-0107-01: Aquaculture, production and value; 32-10-0108-01: Aquaculture economic statistics, value added account; and 32-10-0005-01: Aquaculture, exports of selected Canadian aquaculture products, by destination.
Contact information
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