Some individual farms are licenced to produce in excess of 1,000 tonnes on an annual basis. Freshwater production of trout and charr for the table market is less than 250 tonnes annually. Experimental work on halibut and blackcod is in progress. Direct and indirect employment attributed to the industry exceeds 2,500 full time positions. Feeds are nutrient dense.
Delivery systems vary and are designed to optimize uptake.
On a mass balance basis, input of nitrogen to coastal waters is a small fraction of inputs from sources such as the Fraser River. Accumulation of sediments occurred to the detriment of the farm itself in a few cases. There was no indication that dissolved nutrients were affecting algal production, especially toxic algal blooms. Several studies have shown that the areas impacted by sediments are remediated by natural processes over a period of months to years. Industry moved to cooler northern waters, cage design and anchor systems improved thus allowing use of more active sites.