April 28, 2004 -
VANCOUVER - Proposed fish farms in the mouth of Canada’s second-largest salmon-producing river are being approved by the B.C. government in spite of opposition from local residents, say the Prince Rupert Environmental Society and the David Suzuki Foundation.
Eighteen new farms are proposed for the Skeena River, a pristine area currently free from fish farms. The B.C. government has already passed many of these sites through its environmental review process. A review of the applications by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is the next, and final, step.
However, Prince Rupert area residents have not had any meaningful opportunity to participate in the process. Results of a new survey of 307 respondents released today indicate an overwhelming majority of residents do not support fish farm development. When asked, “Do you think we should have salmon farms on the northcoast,” 71% of respondents said “No”.
“Salmon farms pose a clear risk to wild salmon from sea lice infestations, water pollution and escape of non-native species,” said Jay Ritchlin of the David Suzuki Foundation. “The Skeena is Canada’s second-largest commercial salmon run, which is vital to the region’s economy and ecology. Fisheries and Oceans Canada should not allow fish farm expansion into pristine areas, especially those that support some of the only healthy salmon runs in the world.”
Approval of these sites would ignore recommendations by the Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council (PFRCC), a group established in 1998 to provide independent advice to government on the conservation of Pacific fish populations. The Council, chaired by former Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Hon. John Fraser, recommended in January 2003 “The selection and approval of fish farms sites should recognize and avoid wild salmon migration routes and feeding locations.” The 18 proposed sites would violate this precaution.
Under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, DFO has final say about the fish farms, a significant number of which has already been approved by the provincial government without adequate public consultation. DFO has made no formal call for public input to its assessment.
“Governments at all levels seem intent on pushing this through quickly and quietly without asking the people most affected how they feel,” said Kathy Ehman, Prince Rupert Environmental Society. “Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a mandate to protect wild salmon and salmon habitat. Clearly Ottawa has to step in and put a stop to these new salmon farms.”
Tamara Nowakowsky
Communications Specialist, David Suzuki Foundation
Phone: 604.732.4228 x.270/Cell 604.250.5474
e-mail: tamara@davidsuzuki.org
