Shellfish like mussels, oysters, scallops and clams. And finfish like trout, arctic char, Atlantic cod and salmon. In particular, our cold-water niche is positioning us as a leading player in the industry, and giving Canadians one more reason to boast that we produce some of the best seafood in the world. Many aquaculture producers are small businesses with high degrees of technological savvy embodying the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship that will guide us as we build the knowledge-based economy Canada needs. And half the workers in this industry are under the age of thirty.
Aquaculture can also help revive a Canadian way of life.
I m talking about long-term job creation in Canada s proud coastal communities, particularly those hit hardest by fisheries restructuring. Over 90 per cent of aquaculture jobs in Canada are rural. By straddling the new economy and the old, aquaculture is proving that the new economy isn t for urban Canadians alone. All of these qualities make aquaculture an integral part of the dynamic and global Canadian economy Prime Minister Chr tien wants to foster. And there are other benefits, too.