February 28, 2023

 

Canada not renewing licenses for salmon farms in Discovery Islands, British Columbia

 

 

 

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada announced on February 17 that it will not renew licenses for 15 open-net pen Atlantic salmon farms in the Discovery Islands, located in British Columbia, Canada.

 

The decision was met with harsh criticism from multiple salmon farming companies, who were "blindsided" by the DFO's initial announcement in December 2020 that salmon farming in the Discovery Islands would be "phased out" over an 18-month period. The phase out was delayed after a Canadian court decision overturned the closure, with Canada Federal Court Justice Elizabeth Heneghan ruling saying the decision "did not demonstrate a full appreciation for the facts" at the time it was made.

 

Following the court result, the DFO engaged in another consultation process with the salmon farming industry, First Nations groups and environmental groups, before ultimately deciding to follow through with the original plan to close salmon farming in the region.

 

"After extensive consultations with First Nations, industry and others, and after closely considering the submissions received…, the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard announced her decision not to renew licences for 15 open-net pen Atlantic salmon aquaculture sites in the Discovery Islands," the DFO said.

 

The DFO said it was "taking action to protect wild Pacific salmon" with the closure of the salmon farms.

 

"Recent science indicates that there is uncertainty with respect to the risks posed by Atlantic salmon aquaculture farms to wild Pacific salmon in the Discovery Islands area, as well as to the cumulative effect of any farm-related impacts on this iconic species," the DFO said.

 

Salmon farming companies called the decision by Murray "devastating," and criticised the government's process. The BC Salmon Farmers Association claimed "anti-salmon farming campaigners" were given an early signal on the DFO's decision – before the First Nations and industry groups that were affected by it.

 

"The federal government continues to demonstrate a lack of care for rural coastal communities and continues to put the interests of activists above the people who grow Canada's food," BC Salmon Farmers Association executive director Brian Kingzett said in a release. "It is unacceptable that activist groups had advance notice before licence holders and community leaders."

 

The decision, Kingzett added, is "devastating for all coastal communities who rely on the aquaculture sector" who were hurt by the original decision to phase out aquaculture.

 

The initial decision in 2020, according to the BC Salmon Farmers Association, shut down 24% of British Columbia's salmon production, put 1,500 jobs at risk and forced the euthanasia of more than 10 million salmon.

 

"We are very disappointed that Minister Murray has decided not to issue any salmon aquaculture licenses in the Laich-kwil-tach territory," Mowi Canada West managing director Diane Morrison said in a release. "This decision, along with previous decisions, continues to raise serious questions about Canada's commitment to First Nations reconciliation, its food producers and the health of coastal communities. Our company, along with the Wei Wai Kum and We Wai Kai First Nations, had provided the minister a very reasonable path forward that would help Canada achieve its stated vision for sustainable aquaculture and advance its Blue Economy Strategy. She has regrettably chosen not to accept this opportunity."

 

"Minister Joyce Murray and the Canadian Government have taken a decision inconsistent with science, ignores the affected First Nations input to the process, and provides and greatly impacts the employees who have experienced stress and uncertainty from the federal government's political processes related to salmon farming," Steven Rafferty, chief executive officer of Cermaq, said in a Linkedin post. "It is a flawed and wrong decision. Our colleagues in Canada have worked so hard and been under an enormous pressure, they will continue to get our total support."

 

Going forward, Kingzett said the industry will continue to be faced with reduced investment due to Murray's decision.

- SeafoodSource