GBA 2021 - Fall Flippingbook

AQUACULTURE Lake Wolsey Fish Farm Remains Open

By GBA Aquaculture Committee

G BA’s Aquaculture Committee has been advocating for fish farms in Georgian Bay and the North Channel of Lake Huron to comply with international guidelines and standards on aquaculture operations for more than 22 years. During that time, two operations have been shut down due to pollution at La Cloche Channel and Grassy Bay, northeast of Little Current (see map). GBA also understood that the Lake Wolsey fish farm in the North Channel on Manitoulin Island was permanently closed but, much to our dismay, it has restarted. The Lake Wolsey site would not be approved under current aquaculture licensing conditions because of the lack of flushing capacity in lower-depth waters below the cages. Adequate flushing is required to remove aquaculture-related fish waste, which is a major contributor of phosphorus. Phosphorous is key contributor to algal growth. From 1999 to 2018, Lake Wolsey experienced an accelerating series of blue-green algae blooms, including every year from 2015 to 2018. During this period, a downward trend in dissolved oxygen concentrations in the water was observed. This has led to instances of a complete lack of dissolved oxygen over large areas of this bay, which is extremely harmful to fish and other aquatic biota which must have oxygen to survive. To date no remediation measures have been taken, and it is not clear how the increased fish waste has affected the organisms that live in and around the fish farm. As a result of these issues, the operation was closed down by owner Blue Goose Foods, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) licence was cancelled in 2019. However, an unlicensed operation has now opened at the

site and is currently under investigation by the Enforcement Branch of MNRF. We understand that the Sheshegwaning First Nation are in discussions with the current operator of the unlicensed facility to support the operation. The Sheshegwaning are also in partnership with John O Foods to operate a fish farm adjacent to their reserve lands, which we understand is well located, underwent a rigorous environmental assessment, and is planned to become a large operation. In periods of high water levels in Lake Huron, the Lake Wolsey embayment experiences higher flushing rates and the probability of algae outbreaks and low dissolved oxygen problems are lower. However, in low water levels periods, the reverse is true. Further, water temperatures are steadily increasing, which will increase the potential for both algae outbreaks and low oxygen levels in the water. Since we are probably heading towards a period of lower water levels, it is likely that Lake Wolsey’s water quality will be further compromised and future algae blooms will occur, especially if water temperatures continue to increase due to climate change. This increases the risk of poor production from the fish farm as well as taste and odour issues and potential toxic contamination. Accordingly, it would be prudent to shut this operation down without delay and ensure that Lake Wolsey is not used for commercial fish production in the future. GBA is actively working with MNRF and other stakeholders to achieve this.

For further information, please see: https://tinyurl.com/2ynzc2bu

www.georgianbay.ca

GBA UPDATE Fall 2021

4