Futureproofing Seafood Production on the British Columbia Coast

北岛学院提出了四个项目，以支持不列颠哥伦比亚省的贝类和海带养殖生产者。不列颠哥伦比亚省的海鲜部门直接从水产养殖中收获了超过10万吨的海鲜。最具商业价值的贝类之一是太平洋牡蛎。重要的是，在没有任何额外的水输入（食物、药物等）的情况下，提高这个物种在年轻时的存活率。为了做到这一点，涨潮贝类公司设计了一个原型苗圃栖息地，减少了牡蛎从水中移除的时间，并通过减少压力来提高幼牡蛎的生长和存活率。由于它们的体积小，微塑料可能会被贝类误食，然后在我们吃这种美味的时候被人类吃掉。因此，确定目前在卑诗省贝类养殖中使用的塑料材料（如Vexar和PVC）如何与养殖动物相互作用是很重要的。北岛学院将在夸德拉岛和巴克利湾两个地点对牡蛎的微塑料进行评估。贝类特别容易受到二氧化碳造成的海洋酸化的影响。海洋传感器帮助我们监测不断变化的海洋条件，使贝类养殖者能够有效地管理水产养殖业务。这些传感器通常很昂贵。在这个项目中，将获得一个海洋酸化传感器包，使我们能够将现有的传感器与新的低成本传感器进行比较，以帮助加拿大这一重要地区的未来发展。海带是不列颠哥伦比亚省的新兴物种，负责任的海带养殖可以提供经济机会。在这个项目中，NIC和Kwiakah First Nation将评估不同的海藻生长配置和海藻收获时间的影响，以确定最佳的商业产量，并告知用于栖息地目的所需的海藻数量。

North Island College has proposed four projects in support of shellfish and kelp aquaculture producers in British Columbia. BC's seafood sector harvested over 100,000 tonnes of seafood directly from aquaculture. One of the most commercially important shellfish species is the Pacific Oyster. Enhancing survivorship of this species at a young age, without any additional inputs into the water (food, pharmaceuticals, etc), is important. To do so, Rising Tide Shellfish has designed a prototype nursery habitat that reduces the time oysters are removed from the water and enhances juvenile growth and survivorship by reducing stress.Because of their small size, microplastics may be accidentally eaten by shellfish, and subsequently humans, as we eat the delicacy. It is therefore important to determine how plastic materials such as Vexar and PVC, currently used in BC shellfish farming, interact with farmed animals. North Island College will assess oysters for microplastics at two sites - Quadra Island and Barkley Sound.Shellfish are particularly vulnerable to ocean acidification from carbon dioxide. Ocean Sensors help us to monitor changing ocean conditions and allow shellfish growers to effectively manage aquaculture operations. These sensors are often expensive. In this project, an ocean acidification sensor package will be acquired that allows us to compare established sensors with new low-cost sensors to help futureproof this important region of Canada.Kelp is an emerging species in BC, and responsible aquaculture of kelp can provide economic opportunities. In this project, NIC and the Kwiakah First Nation will assess different kelp growth configurations and the impacts of seaweed harvest timing to determine the optimal commercial yield and inform the amount of kelp needed to leave in-situ for habitat purposes.