Environmental groups question a new flood of fish farm applications

A coalition of environmental groups is concerned about the possible expansion of salmon farming in open-net pens despite Ottawa’s earlier promise to phase them out on the West Coast.

Salmon farming companies have submitted 12 applications – two of which have already been approved – to expand the size or number of net pen operations, and / or increase the amount of fish produced at sites off the coast of British Columbia, according to a Press release issued by four groups.

An application implies a proposal of new Grieg seafood farm with the ability to produce 4,400 tonnes of Atlantic salmon on the Chatham Channel, northeast of Vancouver Island, in association with the Tlowitsis First Nation.

The requests are being made despite the liberal government’s promise to phase out open-net fish farms in British Columbia waters by 2025, said Stan Proboszcz of the Watershed Watch Salmon Society.

“If the federal government is mandated to phase out this industry, why would the industry invest in new equipment or operations?” Proboszcz said.

“Dont have much sense. So that’s a key question, both for the industry and for the federal government. “

Any expansion in agricultural production amplifies the risks that disease, bacteria and parasites pose to declining wild salmon populations, said the coalition, which also includes the Living Oceans Society, David Suzuki Foundation and Clayoquot Action.

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Former Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan announced the closure of nearly 60 percent of the province’s commercial salmon fisheries in July to prevent the total collapse of numerous wild salmon populations.

Pending aquaculture applications should be denied by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) given the exceptionally low yields facing wild salmon, Proboszcz said.

During the 2019 election, Justin Trudeau promised to end open-net pen farming in British Columbia waters by 2025. However, Jordan mandate letter issued after the Liberals won stated that the DFO had to come up with a transition plan by then.

Given that new federal Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray, MP for the Vancouver Quadra, has yet to receive her mandate letter, it is unclear whether Ottawa’s promise to eliminate open-net pens remains the same, Proboszcz said.

“We haven’t really seen any kind of plan or roadmap to get to that 2025 commitment,” he said.

“We hope the mandate letter is explicit about that promise.”

The salmon farm industry took a hit in late 2020 when Jordan, citing input from seven First Nations, announced the closure of 19 fish farms in the controversial Discovery Islands region by July 2022.

The farms, near the Campbell River Aquaculture Center on Vancouver Island and operating along the migratory routes of juvenile salmon, were a flash point for heated public debate and polarized scientific opinions on the harm they do. Fish farms represent for wild salmon.

Before Jordan’s decision, the Determined DFO that several farmed pathogens posed minimal risk to wild salmon.

And aquaculture companies in the region have launched a judicial appeal to review the minister’s decision to close salmon farms.

Mowi Canada West, which had 30 percent of its production on the Discovery Islands, recently announced the temporary closure of one of its three hatcheries as of May with 17 potentially affected employees.

It is unclear if the DFO applications from Mowi, Grieg and Cermaq Canada are driving net pen production overall, or if any of the proposed changes simply move existing Discovery Islands production to other coastal regions.

Responses from DFO or the three aquaculture companies were not available before. National Observer of Canada publication deadline.

Rochelle Baker / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada National Observer