Mariculture Sites - Context
Aquaculture in marine water (or mariculture) is a commercial activity regulated by the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec(MAPAQ) [French only]. In Québec, this activity mainly includes mussels and scallops culture. There are almost thirty companies located mostly in the Magdalen Islands and Gaspésie. Some companies are also found on the North Shore.
The mariculture site directory developed by MAPAQ shows full coordinates of the companies as well as the species they are allowed to cultivate, the type of activities and the covered area of each site. Companies are grouped by administrative region where they are located, thus facilitating research.
The location of mariculture site in Quebec is a relevant source of information on land use. The knowledge about different uses of the marine environment is vital to properly plan the various maritime activities such as fisheries, recreational activities as well as protected area planning, vessel traffic management and prioritization of actions in case of spills.
The mariculture site data displayed on the SLGO’s portal comes from the directory established by the MAPAQ. More information on mariculture in Quebec can be found on the MAPAQ Web Site [French only].
