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The Fish Assassin
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Green groups blast increases in salmon farms
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist
Published: Sunday, November 23, 2008
Environmental groups say they are appalled that the province is considering massive increases in farmed salmon production in farms along critical wild salmon migration routes, such as the Broughton Archipelago and northern Strait of Georgia.
"We are just astounded at the size of some of the increases. There are at least three farms in northern Georgia Strait that are looking at doubling or tripling their capacity," said Ruby Berry of the Georgia Strait Alliance.
Catherine Stewart of the Living Oceans Society agreed, saying the increases put wild salmon runs at risk.
An increase in production of this nature will place tremendous pressure on already imperilled wild salmon stocks and the marine ecosystem around these salmon farms," she said.
Groups that belong to the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform "stumbled across" the list of applications, Berry said.
Unlike applications for new farms, when environmental groups are among those consulted, there is no requirement to let anyone know when there is an application for an amendment, Berry said.
"It's a big hole in the consultation process," she said.
However, Liz Bicknell, spokeswoman for the Agriculture and Lands Ministry, said only two applications for increased production have been approved, both last April, and decisions on other applications are not imminent. One of the two approved production expansions is in Frederick Arm and the other on the far side of the Discovery Islands, both of which are near Campbell River, not in the Broughton, she said.
"We are very disappointed that CAAR has put out this release. We have been working very closely with them, so we are very surprised," Bicknell said.
All applications for increased capacity are considered individually, and the ministry looks at aspects such as fairness, protection of the environment and sustainable economic development, she said.
The province was originally scheduled to release an aquaculture plan more than a year ago, but it is now likely to be completed early next year, Bicknell said.
"We are continuing to work with all the sectors and we're waiting for the Pacific Salmon Forum to issue its report," she said.
The forum is collecting information on the effect of farmed fish, including sea lice, on wild salmon.
The province has declared a moratorium on fish farms on B.C.'s north coast and the Special Legislative Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture, dominated by the NDP, recommended that fish farms transition to closed containment within five years.
Committee chairman Robin Austin said Friday that expansion of open-net farming would fly in the face of the committee's recommendations.
"There should be no question about expanding open-net aquaculture when we have runs in the Broughton Archipelago that have plummeted by as much as 90 per cent this year," he said.
"We need to act now to save these runs before it's too late.... The Campbell government is dithering while our wild salmon runs slide towards extinction."
Marine Harvest Canada of Campbell River is one of the companies that had amendments approved this year and is waiting for a decision on other applications.
Clare Backman, the firm's manager of environmental compliance, said any changes, whether relocation of a cage or an increase in production, requires an amendment.
However, Marine Harvest has approval to produce 89,000 tonnes of salmon a year and is producing only 40,000 tonnes because the company chooses the most sustainable sites and uses farms in rotation, he said.
"We believe we are demonstrating a sustainable operation, but that is something the environmental groups disagree with," Backman said.
These folks only have one solution and it's called closed containment, which is something that is not proved for salmon."
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Who the hell voted for this guy? Nice going btw if it was you.
Take only what you need.
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist
Published: Sunday, November 23, 2008
Environmental groups say they are appalled that the province is considering massive increases in farmed salmon production in farms along critical wild salmon migration routes, such as the Broughton Archipelago and northern Strait of Georgia.
"We are just astounded at the size of some of the increases. There are at least three farms in northern Georgia Strait that are looking at doubling or tripling their capacity," said Ruby Berry of the Georgia Strait Alliance.
Catherine Stewart of the Living Oceans Society agreed, saying the increases put wild salmon runs at risk.
An increase in production of this nature will place tremendous pressure on already imperilled wild salmon stocks and the marine ecosystem around these salmon farms," she said.
Groups that belong to the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform "stumbled across" the list of applications, Berry said.
Unlike applications for new farms, when environmental groups are among those consulted, there is no requirement to let anyone know when there is an application for an amendment, Berry said.
"It's a big hole in the consultation process," she said.
However, Liz Bicknell, spokeswoman for the Agriculture and Lands Ministry, said only two applications for increased production have been approved, both last April, and decisions on other applications are not imminent. One of the two approved production expansions is in Frederick Arm and the other on the far side of the Discovery Islands, both of which are near Campbell River, not in the Broughton, she said.
"We are very disappointed that CAAR has put out this release. We have been working very closely with them, so we are very surprised," Bicknell said.
All applications for increased capacity are considered individually, and the ministry looks at aspects such as fairness, protection of the environment and sustainable economic development, she said.
The province was originally scheduled to release an aquaculture plan more than a year ago, but it is now likely to be completed early next year, Bicknell said.
"We are continuing to work with all the sectors and we're waiting for the Pacific Salmon Forum to issue its report," she said.
The forum is collecting information on the effect of farmed fish, including sea lice, on wild salmon.
The province has declared a moratorium on fish farms on B.C.'s north coast and the Special Legislative Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture, dominated by the NDP, recommended that fish farms transition to closed containment within five years.
Committee chairman Robin Austin said Friday that expansion of open-net farming would fly in the face of the committee's recommendations.
"There should be no question about expanding open-net aquaculture when we have runs in the Broughton Archipelago that have plummeted by as much as 90 per cent this year," he said.
"We need to act now to save these runs before it's too late.... The Campbell government is dithering while our wild salmon runs slide towards extinction."
Marine Harvest Canada of Campbell River is one of the companies that had amendments approved this year and is waiting for a decision on other applications.
Clare Backman, the firm's manager of environmental compliance, said any changes, whether relocation of a cage or an increase in production, requires an amendment.
However, Marine Harvest has approval to produce 89,000 tonnes of salmon a year and is producing only 40,000 tonnes because the company chooses the most sustainable sites and uses farms in rotation, he said.
"We believe we are demonstrating a sustainable operation, but that is something the environmental groups disagree with," Backman said.
These folks only have one solution and it's called closed containment, which is something that is not proved for salmon."
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Who the hell voted for this guy? Nice going btw if it was you.
Take only what you need.
