Fisheries department must not capitulate to salmon farmers unreasonable demands

June 24, 2003 -

VANCOUVER - Protection of the marine environment and wild fish species must take precedence over the salmon farming industry’s desire to expand along the British Columbia coast given that the floating net-cage industry is not environmentally sustainable, the David Suzuki Foundation said today.

"Salmon farmers are blaming government red tape as the reason their sales to the U.S. have dropped significantly, yet they don’t mention anything about the huge and unprecedented outbreaks of sea lice and sockeye disease at BC salmon farms," said Otto Langer, director of the Suzuki Foundation’s marine conservation program.

"We are pleased that the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is taking time to examine expansion requests carefully, but we urge officials not rush their work because salmon farmers are pressuring them to do so," he added, commenting on statements from industry spokespeople published today.

While salmon farmers say government officials are moving at glacial speed on applications for new farms and to relocate others that are poorly sited, a senior DFO official says some delays have occurred because of the applicant’s lack of understanding of the detailed environmental studies that must be undertaken.

"This is a very telling comment and shows that some salmon farming companies do not understand or appreciate the considerable environmental impact their industry has on marine life," said Mr. Langer. "This industry has the privilege of operating in public waters, but they are not living up to the responsibilities of such a benefit."

Salmon farms consist of open net cages that float in the ocean, allowing waste like excess feed and feces to settle on the ocean floor below and around the farms. Approximately 100 farms are operating on the BC coast and each farm holds tens of thousands of fish, meaning the waste entering the ocean is considerable. And, because fish are densely packed into each pen, the opportunity for disease outbreaks increases, Mr. Langer said.

"Senior scientists, including some from DFO, studying recent sea lice outbreaks have stated unequivocally that salmon farms are a definite factor for the magnitude of the epidemics. So before they build new farms in the near-pristine waters of BC’s north coast, we believe these serious issues must be resolved," he added.