Aquaculture – the farming of aquatic organisms – is one of the most promising but controversial new industries in Canada. Advocates believe aquaculture has the potential to solve environmental and food supply problems resulting from global overfishing. Critics argue that industrial-scale aquaculture poses unacceptable threats to human health, local communities, and the environment.

The Aquaculture Controversy in Canada is not about methods of aquaculture but rather an exploration of why the practice has been the centre of intense debate in Canada. Nathan Young and Ralph Matthews present the controversy as rooted in local and global conflicts over risk, development, rights, and knowledge. The inability of the industry to address the controversy’s complexities, they argue, has only fuelled the debate. Comprehensive and balanced, this book will appeal to anyone who wants a deeper understanding of one of the most contentious public policy and environmental issues facing the world today.