Salmon farmers take on the Cohen inquiry

[lorneparker1]

Did we watch the same thing?

Man these guys are the masters of spin.

jesus!

http://www.salmonfarmers.org/bcs-salmon-farmers-support-continued-research-fish-health



BC's salmon farmers support continued research in fish health
.







Wednesday, October 31, 2012




With confidence in the health of our fish and the quality of our farm information, BC’s salmon farmers support a request by Commissioner Bruce Cohen for more research in the Discovery Islands area.

“We know that the fish on our farms are healthy – and Justice Cohen has acknowledged the impressive data we made available,” said Stewart Hawthorn, Board Member of the BCSFA. ”We are committed to protecting the marine environment and our iconic wild salmon – and we support the call for further research in this small farming area.”

The final report from the Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of the Fraser River Sockeye was released today, which included around 75 recommendations on different areas of fisheries management. Climate change and fish enhancement facilities were among the issues discussed that may have affected the 2009 return of the Fraser River Sockeye.

Justice Cohen commended the information that was collected by our salmon farmers and provided to the commission. He has recommended that salmon farm production stay the same in the Discovery Islands area of BC while more research is done. This area represents only a small part of BC’s farmed salmon production, currently there are nine farms in the area.

Salmon farmers have shown repeatedly in the past a willingness to work with regulators, stakeholders and NGOs to collect, evaluate and react to new information with respect to potential impacts to wild salmon.

“Our members are committed to farming responsibly - and that commitment will continue as we move forward in light of these recommendations,” said Clare Backman, Board Member of the BCSFA. “It’s important that we continue with the important social and economic role we play in the coastal communities of BC while protecting our natural environment.”

The BCSFA represents salmon farm companies and those who provide services and supplies to the industry. Salmon-farming provides for 6,000 direct and indirect jobs while contributing $800-million to the provincial economy each year.

For more information visit www.salmonfarmers.org

-30-

Please note: To arrange an interview either by phone or in person, contact Colleen Dane, Communications Manager at (250) 203-1532.

 

[Little Hawk]

Don't be bad-mouthing these guys Lorne.

Remember-they contributed $800-million to the BC economy last year!

 

[profisher]

Yep contributed 800 mil and will cause damage that could cost 10 times that to fix if they introduce a lethal virus into wild salmon. And we know if that happens they will move on to another sucker country and leave us with that bill. But they really care!!!

 

[steel_dreamin]

How much of that $800 mil is tax revenue and what is the multiplier they are using?

I would also like to understand the demographic and location of the claimed "6000" jobs. My buddy was renting a house to an aquaculture group (huge mistake) and found out that there were ~15 people bunked up in a 2000sqft. house. These people aren't supporting economic and social sustainabilty - they discovered those words using google and thought they sounded cool.

What "reactions" has the aquaculture industry taken in response to NGO engagement? Aren't reactions considered a last resort - as in "Oh S--T" we better do something.

Chirsty better act swiftly and effectively on this - it is going to get ugly soon. The Northern Gateway pipeline takes a back seat to this if you ask me. This is happening NOW - not proposed.

 

[Foxsea]

The farmers have many leases up for renewal to protect.

From Alex:
As this report is tabled, you should know the Province of BC is in the process of renewing many salmon farm leases. The Province of BC remains the landlord of the industry even though regulation has become federal. If BC offers this industry long term leases, Justice Cohen's recommendations and our $26 million will be wasted. The Province cannot at this point offer these lease renewals without consulting with the Fraser First Nations, because the salmon they have rights to are swimming through effluent from the salmon farms, Cohen is specifically reporting on.

I am actively researching exotic salmon viruses, but if these leases are renewed in the next few weeks, there will be little chance of the Cohen recommendations being acted on.


There is something you can do now. I have created a petition in honour of Cohen's work asking Permier Clark not to renew the salmon farm leases to the sea floor of BC.

If you step up and share it widely, there is a chance our children will have wild salmon in their lives, and honestly it looks like there are tough times ahead, they will need everything we can leave them.

www.change.org/NoSalmonFarmLeases

Please sign this petition asap and forward it to your friends.

 

[hambone]

Chirsty better act swiftly and effectively on this - it is going to get ugly soon. The Northern Gateway pipeline takes a back seat to this if you ask me. This is happening NOW - not proposed.

X2!!!!! I feel the same way. The pipeline is a big deal but these farms have already done damage and continue to do so! F#*!K.... Major mistake bringing them here in the first place.

 

[steel_dreamin]

It's amazing that these people think they can actually put a positive spin on this. Stewart Hawthorn was on CBC yesterday professing to support the Cohen report; when the CBC broadcaster asked him if he supported removal of the salmon farms after 2020 he became very quiet...

This was happening less than three months ago:


Two B.C. fish farms will cull their fish this week after receiving confirmation of a virus that can be deadly to Atlantic salmon.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed that infectious haematopoetic necrosis, or IHN, has been found in salmon at Grieg Seafood’s farm at Culloden Point on Jervis Inlet and Mainstream Canada’s farm at Millar Channel in Clayoquot Sound.


Both farms have been in quarantine since preliminary positive tests showed up last week during routine monitoring.


The confirmation was not unexpected, said Stewart Hawthorn, Grieg’s managing director.


“These health challenges are an infrequent but normal part of farming natural food,” he said.


CFIA has said it would issue a disposal notice for the 316,000 fish at the farm and the company is coming up with a plan for the agency’s approval, Hawthorn said.


“We appreciate the agency’s swift and efficient handling of this situation and welcome the opportunity to resolve this quickly and thoroughly,” he said.


In Clayoquot Sound, CFIA has issued an official order for Mainstream to remove all fish from the Millar Channel site, said spokeswoman Laurie Jensen.


“All fish will be removed from the farm and sent to a rendering facility,” Jensen said.


“Strict biosecurity measures will be followed at all stages of depopulation, transportation, offloading and rendering.”


Earlier this year, 570,000 Atlantic salmon from Mainstream’s Dixon Bay Farm in Clayoquot Sound were destroyed after the virus was confirmed.


IHN is carried by Pacific salmon, but does not make them sick. However, in Atlantic salmon, which have no immunity to the virus, it can lead to rotting flesh and organ failure.


The virus has no effect on human health.


Fish farm opponents say the heavy viral load from farmed salmon, which live in tight quarters, could affect young sockeye and point to IHN as another argument in favour of closed containment systems for the farms.

However, salmon farmers say the virus has been spread from wild salmon.


“Migrating wild salmon are natural carriers of the IHN virus and are most likely the source of the virus infection at both farms,” Jensen said.


Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/Local+News/903621/story.html#ixzz2B4bOmENX

 

[Little Hawk]

“All fish will be removed from the farm and sent to a rendering facility,” Jensen said.


“Strict biosecurity measures will be followed at all stages of depopulation, transportation, offloading and rendering.”

Translation: They'll be on the 'Midnight Express' to Costco & Safeway.

 

[rockdog]

They will probably be receiving a nice fat cheque from the gov't as compensation, so don't worry.....

 

[cuttlefish]

How much of that $800 mil is tax revenue and what is the multiplier they are using?

I would also like to understand the demographic and location of the claimed "6000"

Don't know the demographics but here are some links to their job claims:
Grieg employs 130; http://www.griegseafood.no/english.aspx?pageId=20
Mainstream employs 250; http://www.mainstreamcanada.ca/careers/index.php
Marine Harvest employs 500; http://www.marineharvestcanada.com/
Creative employs 50; http://www.creativesalmon.com/our-team.php

It you count in all the little guys there are roughly 1,000 direct jobs.
One would have to use a multiplier of 5 for indirect and induced jobs to get the number to 6,000. I think that is a pretty high multiplier.

 

[fish4all]

This is total ********. Why are the farms not treated the same way as SARA claims. If a concern comes forward they should foot the bill to disprove the claim with independent science

 

[Theb55]

If the BC Government renews fish farm licenses for a long period, in defiance of mounting scientific evidence, ALL people affected should sue the government. It's time. Since money talks. Maybe the government can set aside a fund to migrate farms from open to closed / isolated pens. If the public want farmed fish, they can have them. I'm not opposed to fish farms. I'm opposed to open pens.

 

[Clipper]

"Maybe the government can set aside a fund to migrate farms from open to closed / isolated pens."

Why on earth should my tax $$$ go to fund a private (not even Canadian) company for ANYTHING? It really irks me when we continually throw public money at so called free enterprise corporations.

 

[Theb55]

Well, IMHO, there has to be some incentives to move to a closed pen. The status quo is not acceptable for most of us. I think it is unrealistic to expect the government to close them all down. They might but I would not bet on it. The amount they spend on litigation would be massive, far more than setting aside a fund for an orderly transfer.

 

[cuttlefish]

This is total ********. Why are the farms not treated the same way as SARA claims. If a concern comes forward they should foot the bill to disprove the claim with independent science

What's a SARA claim? Pardon my ignorance.

 

[fish4all]

What's a SARA claim? Pardon my ignorance.

Species at risk act.

 

[Little Hawk]

If the public want farmed fish, they can have them. I'm not opposed to fish farms. I'm opposed to open p

You are not alone in thinking this way. Sadly, the 'not in my back yard' ideology would only solve part of the problem with the net-pen business.

Once we kick them out of our waterways - and we will - they'll simply ramp-up the Chilean operations or pay the Harper govmt. more $$$ to expand the maritime Canadian outfit - all in the name of servicing the lucrative US market.

Certainly this would finally bring much needed respite to our out-migrating juvenile salmon currently forced to swim past & through these floating cesspools and - in the vacuum of the industry's absence - our illustrious DFO would then have no excuse but to refocus (as Cohen prescribed) on the business they were intended to; namely, the careful stewarding of our Pacific fishery.

These are good things.

However, globally the industry will continue raping other peoples(nations) oceans of herring, sardines, krill etc, to produce fish food (pellets) to sustain their livestock. Think: 4 to 5/lbs of harvested protein to grow 1-lb of farm fish. In other words, they'll still be offloading the cost of doing business on others - robbing Peter to pay Paul if you will.

Rather, we (incl. govmt.) should all be focusing on doing what we can to foster conditions so Mother Nature can do her thing in a natural cycle.

As far as the job-creation numbers for this industry in BC goes, the topic has been thoroughly flogged to death and both the industry and our government routinely lie about it.

I remember back when the Liberals lifted the moratorium on expansion of the industry (2002), John Van Dongen (then Campbells Min. of Agriculture and staunch aquaculture proponent) made the claim that the industry would create 12,000 jobs in remote regions of BC. Yet, in that same year when I wrote an article on salmon-farming for BC Outdoors, my research on the job-creation prospects for the industry provided a very different picture.

Data I found published by NOAA-2002' (if memory serves) claimed that each salmon farm operating in BC and Pugeot Sound generated 8 to 10 full-time equivalent jobs and that their research had shown that these data was similar at that time to net-pen industry employment statistics from operations running in Norway.

So, 10 yrs after - even if we side-step the fact that as technology improves and more machines are doing the jobs that people used to do which means less jobs now - if you figured a generous 9-jobs per farm X 125 or so active farms on our Coast - how the fak does that add up to 6000 or 12,000 jobs?

They just keep feeding it to us... all the while thinking we'll just continue to bend over and take it.

 

[sammyslabber]

It's a little late however while we are on the topic of farmed salmon. A recent VS article re:

B.C. farmed salmon on menu at U.S. Open



Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/farmed+salmon+menu+Open/7158100/story.html#ixzz2BC9G36qb

Along with tainted beef, is open pen net farm salmon an export we should be proud of ???​

 

[SerengetiGuide]

Well, IMHO, there has to be some incentives to move to a closed pen. The status quo is not acceptable for most of us. I think it is unrealistic to expect the government to close them all down. They might but I would not bet on it. The amount they spend on litigation would be massive, far more than setting aside a fund for an orderly transfer.

Well said. While tax dollars shouldn't help privatized companies if it is the only way to really provide incentives to protect a public area (ocean lol), then ya, I'd be ok for it. But it should be the law anyway, but providing these incentives would quicken the process of getting them out of our oceans immensely.

 

[cuttlefish]

Species at risk act.

OK thanks. Now I get it. Agreed.