Research & Projects
Northern Ontario Aquaculture Association
Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) Projects:
Fallowing:
Best Management Practices:
Research Publications:
Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) Projects
At the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) near Kenora, Ontario, Fisheries and Oceans
Canada is conducting comprehensive scientific research to understand the effects of
freshwater net-cage aquaculture. The results will be used to develop scientifically
based guidelines for regulation of the freshwater aquaculture industry and better
understand how fish farms influence the aquatic ecosystems they inhabit. The ELA,
which comprises approximately 50 lakes, offer a natural "real world" laboratory setting.
It is a unique facility that has gained an international reputation as one of Canada's
most innovative and successful commitments to freshwater research.

Departmental researchers have established a small-scale fish farm in one of the ELA
lakes. Since 2003, some 10,000 rainbow trout fingerlings have been placed in a cage
each spring and fed commercially-produced feed pellets for five to six months. Each fall,
when the trout reach a mature weight of about one kilogram, they are removed from
the cage and harvested, as they would be in actual fish farm operations. The lake
ecosystem is closely monitored to detect any fish farm-related changes with respect to
the lake and to the native species including lake trout. Fish behaviour is observed using
sophisticated electronic systems. The final results of this study can be expected in two
years time.
"Environmentally Responsible, Environmentally Accountable"
Distribution and survival of farmed rainbow trout escaped from aquaculture
operations in Lake Huron
Objectives:


The main objective of this
study is to measure the
distance travelled and
effects on habitat use of
escaped rainbow trout.  
A small number of farmed
rainbow trout are fitted
with telemetry
transmitters to monitor
their movements and
interactions with native
fish species based on
habitat selection.
Second objective of this
research is to study the
survival and growth of
the escaped fish.
The two operators that
are participating in the
studies are Meeker's
Aquaculture and North
Wind Fisheries Ltd.
Baseline Risk Study of Potential Chemical Contaminants in Ontario
Farm-Raised Rainbow Trout
by Mike Cassidy, Ana Matu and Gavin Downing
Food Safety Policy Branch, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture And Food
(OMAF)