May 24, 2024

 

Aquaculture suppliers in British Columbia, Canada, urge federal government for six-year salmon farm licence

Suppliers to the aquaculture industry in British Columbia (BC), Canada, have appealed to federal government ministers for a minimum six-year renewal of salmon farm licenses in the province, Fishfarmingexpert reported.

 

In a letter addressed to Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet, the suppliers emphasised the sector's current state of "uncertainty." This situation stems from Trudeau's 2019 election pledge to transition from open net pen salmon farming in coastal waters to closed containment systems by 2025 in BC.

 

This appeal aligns with calls from salmon producers and First Nations benefiting from salmon farming in their traditional territories. They also advocate for license renewals of at least six years.

 

The backdrop to this demand includes the abrupt closure of 19 farms in the Discovery Islands in BC by former fisheries minister Bernadette Jordan in late 2020. Her successor, Joyce Murray, known for her opposition to net pen fish farms, extended licenses for the remaining 79 farms for just two years starting mid-2022.

 

Murray was replaced by Diane Lebouthillier in a government reshuffle last July. The aquaculture industry hopes Lebouthillier will adopt a more balanced approach to the issue.

 

In their letter to Trudeau, Lebouthillier, and the 33 other cabinet members, the BC-based aquaculture suppliers highlight their direct employment of hundreds of British Columbians and the thousands more they indirectly support. They argue that the federal government's uncertainty prevents those in the salmon sector from planning for their futures and limits companies' investment capabilities.

 

The suppliers said a single salmon production cycle takes six years from start to finish, requesting support for a minimum six-year licence renewal.

 

The letter is signed by representatives of 24 companies, including Ryan Bush, general manager of haulier AquaTrans Distributors, who has offered to speak with any minister needing more information. Bush previously appeared in a BC Salmon Farmers' Association video challenging Trudeau's initial transition plan.

 

Among the signatories is Mark Lane, director of Bluegreen Canada, a subsidiary of the Norwegian company Bluegreen, which developed the Marine Donut floating closed containment facility currently being trialled by the world's second-largest salmon farmer, SalMar.

 

-      Fishfarmingexpert