BC salmon farmers welcome consultations after years of "extraordinary" discussions

A After years of "extraordinary" debate over Ottawa's commitment to end opennet salmonidation, British Columbia's Executive Director, a formal consultation process for the future of the industry is welcomed. The Salmon Farmers Association said Thursday.

Ruth Salmon said it would bring industry, First Nations, the federal government, and British Columbia. Governments will come together to discuss how to move from an open net farm.

Studies show that open net pens can spread disease to wild fish, but salmon says new technologies that reduce the interaction between wild and farmed fish without fixing the farm. Said that the world's aquaculture industry is changing.

The power of attorney to Minister of Fisheries Joyce Murray entrusts her with a plan to move away from open-net salmon farming in British Columbia. By 2025, the body of water while she is working on the introduction of Canada's first aquaculture method.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada said Wednesday that open-net salmon farms may continue to operate during a consultation process scheduled to run until early 2023, the final transition to 79 farms. The plan has been announced to be released next spring.

Murray and her department will consult with various levels of indigenous communities, industries, environmental groups and governments to propose a planning framework, the minister said in an interview Thursday. Stated. The

plan is "for a new regulatory system that will lead to this transition to places where there is little or no contact between wild and farmed salmon," she said.

Prime Minister John Horgan wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in March stating that plans to end opennet aquaculture require support from the industry and its workers.

Ottawa will work closely with the state government, although Murray said it was premature to say what support for coastal areas would be.

New Democratic fishery critic Lisa Marie Varon issued a statement Thursday, a few years before the Liberal government first announced its intention to phase out. Said that discussions should have been held on the withdrawal from the open net farm. Put them out.

"Almost three years later, there has been no significant work done to provide a clear transition plan for indigenous peoples, workers and coastal communities," said Nanaimo-Ladysmith Riding on Vancouver Island. Baron, who represents, says.

Murray admitted that her pledge to end open net pen farming was made in 2019, but she said she has been taking action since then. I did.

There are no more farmed Atlantic salmon in the Discovery Islands. This represents about 30% of the amount of aquaculture off the coast of British Columbia.

Local farmers along the main route of wild salmon migration will phase out 19 salmon farms in late 2020 by their Malay predecessors. After announcing that, it had already begun to shrink. this month.

A federal court judge set aside this spring's decision after the three companies applied for a judicial review of an order to prevent replenishment of the farm, for no reason, "not showing an assessment of the facts. I insisted.

In an April ruling, Judge Elizabeth Henegan of the Federal Court found that the minister's order violated the rights of procedural justice owed to the fish farm.

Ottawa is currently embarking on a separate consultation process between First Nations and the fish farm operators, and Murray will not renew the salmon license, which is scheduled for final decision in January next year. He said it would include discussing the possibilities of.

"It's important to talk to the affected people."

The federal government has licensed the Atlantic salmon farm around the Discovery Islands for the foreseeable future. Will not be reissued.

In a statement, Cermaq Canada, one of the operators that applied for judicial review, said in a statement that the company has signed several agreements with First Nations since its decision and led them in the consultation process. Said to obey.

"Therefore, we are ready to engage in the process of recognizing the common interests of the parties in investigating what food production looks like in the Discovery Islands region. Ambitious. Indigenous peoples' rights and oversight will be crucial to future Selmac activities in the region. "

For dozens of salmon farming projects outside the Discovery Islands, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has stated that the two-year license renewal will include sea turtle management plans and wild salmon monitoring requirements. He said it would be accompanied by stricter conditions.

B.C. Salmon Farmers Association welcomes the consultation process. Disappointed that license renewals no longer encourage investment in industry innovation, Salmon, Interim Executive Director, said.

"Short-term licenses don't give investors the kind of confidence they need to invest in Canada," she said.

"We need to know that the government feels that there is a future, because it matches the amount of investment, so there are all sorts of exciting ideas, but they are secure. They will not be operational until But thank Otawa for granting rights and reissuing the license outside the Discovery Islands in countries that want to pursue seafood production on their territory.

More news, less advertising:Thanks to the support of our subscribers, our detailed journalism is possible. For just $ 3.50 a week, you'll have unlimited ad light access to Vancouver Sun, Province, National Post, and 13 other Canadian news sites. Subscribe today to support us:Vancouver Sun | State