Wild fisheries contribute $1 billion yearly to British Columbia's economy. Sea lice infestations on juvenile wild salmon and other negative impacts from salmon farming put at risk wild fisheries and related businesses that have supported the coastal economy for generations.
Farmed salmon have flooded the market causing the price of wild salmon to drop dramatically. This means that fishermen earn less for their catch and local economies suffer.
People from around the world come to B.C. to see our pristine wilderness and abundant wildlife. They do not travel thousands of kilometres to see net cage salmon farms in picturesque coves and bays.
Marine tourism is the industry's fastest growing sector and a major source of jobs and revenue for B.C.’s coastal communities. Eco-tourism (kayaking, hiking, wildlife observation, etc.) is becoming increasingly popular. It leaves a small environmental footprint and provides communities with long term economic benefits. More than half of B.C.’s nature-based tourism businesses operate on the coast.
The value of wild fish to B.C.'s economy
The economic value of B.C.'s commercial and sports fishery and processing far outweighs that of salmon aquaculture and the processing of farmed salmon.  | Industry | Revenues | Revenues minus costs |
| Commercial fishing and processing |
$216 million | $67 million | |
| Recreational fishing |
$231 million
|
$116 million | |
| Salmon farming | $371 million | $134 million |
The truth about jobs
One of the main arguments made in favour of continuing the open net-cage salmon farming industry in B.C. is the value placed on the jobs it provides in coastal communities. But it is important to consider that many more jobs are put at risk by the salmon farming industry’s practices that destroy ocean ecosystems.
Thousands of jobs depend on the health of our wild salmon and the species salmon support. From commercial fishing to wildlife tourism, countless people and communities rely on “Super Natural B.C.” to provide for their families and futures.
A report commissioned by the Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture investigated all jobs provided by salmon farming in B.C. and concluded that the total of all direct, indirect and induced jobs in the salmon farming industry is 2,945 (significantly lower than the 6,000 industry most recently claimed).
| Industry |
Jobs
|
|
|
Commercial fishing and processing
|
1,600 (estimated full-time equivalent) |  |
|
Salmon sport fishing
|
2,280 full-time | |
|
Salmon farming
|
1,500 (estimated full-time equivalent) |
BC Statistics on-line, a provincial government agency, reports a total of 14,300 jobs in the commercial and recreational fishing sectors. This number does not include processing jobs in fish plants, many of which are derived from the wild fishery.
By making the transition to closed containment technology such as ocean-based floating tanks, B.C. could have it all. We could sustain jobs in the salmon farming industry and greatly reduce the threat to jobs dependent on healthy oceans and abundant wild salmon.
