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Aquaculture management changing hands from Provincial to Federal government: an opportunity for progress
Recently, the Province of BC decided to relinquish control and management of marine fin-fish aquaculture to the federal government as a result of a decision by the BC courts. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is scheduled to assume management sometime after February 2010.
 
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Photo: Robert Koopmans
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The good news is that there will now be one clear line of authority and responsibility in the management of aquaculture in BC. CAAR views this as an opportunity for significant change and progress on sustainable aquaculture.
The not so good news is that DFO has always had the constitutional mandate to conserve and protect wild fish and ocean health, but has failed to provide adequate protection thus far. This constitutional mandate is in direct conflict with the department’s political mandate to promote and support the aquaculture industry -- highlighted this fall by DFO’s promotion of BC salmon farming as sustainable and open for business at an aquaculture trade show in Norway. The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Gail Shea, and a large team of DFO staff were promoting open net-cage salmon farms at the trade show, while back in BC, the Fraser sockeye runs were crashing.
CAAR is looking to DFO to step up, acknowledge the weight of scientific evidence on the impacts of open net-cage salmon farming on wild salmon and ocean ecosystems, and work towards solutions. The federal government has already invested in fledgling closed containment ventures in BC. Now that they will be managing the entire industry, we expect the government of Canada to follow through with a serious and substantial commitment to protect wild stocks and foster an industry-wide transition to closed containment technology.
To make sure this happens, we need concerned citizens to speak loud and clear! Send a fax letting government leaders know why the protection of wild salmon is important to you and that you expect this management change to bring about a renewed level of accountability and responsibility.
Thank you for your support!
Accountability now for wild salmon: calling on MPs during the Global Week of Action
The fourth annual Global Week of Action, a campaign aimed at exposing destructive salmon farming practices worldwide, is happening this November 9-14th. In the wake of the Fraser River sockeye collapse, this is the perfect opportunity for British Columbians to raise their voices along with allies in Europe, the US and Chile in opposition to the damaging effects of open net-cage salmon farming.
To take part in the action, CAAR is calling on BC communities to request town hall meetings with their MPs to ask what they and their party are doing to protect wild salmon and ocean ecosystems from the impacts of net-cages. In fact, the Global Week of Action happens to be the week that Canadian MPs will be back in their constituency offices, when they should be available to meet with citizens about issues that we care about. It’s an excellent way for citizens to better understand their MP’s position on these important issues, and for MPs to answer the questions of their constituents. A town hall meeting can be arranged by an individual; a group of citizens; or a society, organization or business.
It’s time to hold MPs accountable for the problems of the salmon farming industry and its potential role in the Fraser River sockeye crash. Through them, concerned citizens can let the Canadian government know that BC communities expect a renewed level of responsibility when it comes to our oceans and fisheries, and a commitment to the development of a sustainable aquaculture industry in BC.
Let us know if you can help organize a meeting in your community by contacting michelle@georgiastrait.org. We can provide support such as background information, an example letter to your MP, links to media templates, as well as encouragement. Click here for more information on our website.
If you live outside of BC, visit the Global Week of Action International website to see what is being planned in your region.
Let’s stand together as concerned citizens and community groups and join allies around the world in speaking up for wild salmon and ocean health!
Vancouver rallies to save wild salmon
Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Vancouver on October 3rd to call on the government of Canada to remove open net-cage salmon farms from BC’s coast and pursue solutions for restoring wild salmon stocks.
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October 3 Vancouver Rally to Save Wild Salmon
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The loud and colourful rally featured an array of speakers including conservationists, First Nations and scientists. They stressed the importance of large-scale citizen participation in helping to finally “turn the tide” on this long-standing and contentious issue in order to achieve change. The turnout is evidence of a growing opposition and anxiety in BC around unsustainable open net-cage salmon farms and their possible connection to the recent Fraser River sockeye collapse. People are fed up with the mismanagement of fisheries and don’t want to see Pacific salmon go the way of the Atlantic cod.
Included in the line-up of inspiring speakers was CAAR’s own David Lane of the T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation, representing commercial fishermen. He reminded the crowd of a recent victory to place a moratorium on fish farms on BC’s northern coast. This success demonstrates the power of people banding together and taking a stand. To meet the next challenge of transitioning industry to closed containment and securing interim emergency protection for juvenile wild salmon in the Wild Salmon Narrows, Lane called on citizens to “join together and tell our government that there must be action. Let’s work together, let’s fight together and together we will win!”
The rally was organized by the Wild Salmon Circle, a citizen action group recently formed to build a large-scale public movement to save wild salmon from total collapse. Another rally is scheduled for November - watch for details on their website.
The myths & realities of the salmon farming industry in BC
The facts and science around salmon farming are continually distorted by industry and governments -- much like we saw in the climate change debate -- with industry proponents claiming there is no clear science and scientists providing study after study demonstrating the need for urgent action...
Wild salmon can’t play this political waiting game and without protection, their populations continue to decline with tragic consequences for the communities and ecosystems that depend on them.
To help sort out fact from myth, CAAR has produced a new fact sheet that corrects inaccurate claims by industry and government around salmon farming. Click here to check it out.
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