Fishing and Aquaculture on Vancouver Island

This sector includes commercial and sports fishing, seafood products manufacturing and farmed seafood products. Vancouver Island has some of the best natural conditions for fishing and aquaculture production in the world due to the favourable water quality, climate, and sheltered bays surrounding the Island’s coastline. The Vancouver Island region represents a significant portion of the provincial fishing and aquaculture sector. Fishing and aquaculture is an important contributor to the Vancouver Island economy. 

The three main groups of species that are important to this sector are shellfish, salmon and other finfish, and marine plants. Wild fisheries include salmon, herring, groundfish and shellfish. Recreational fishing is also part of the broad outdoor recreational allure of Vancouver Island due to the striking natural environments throughout the region.

Learn more about the climate on Vancouver Island.

For information sources and more detailed information on this sector including economic predictions, licensing, production volumes, employment, wages and number of businesses, consult recent editions of VIEA’s State of the Island Economic Report.