This is the unedited audio from the aquaculture presentation to the SRD Board made by John Paul Fraser, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmer’s Association, and Dean Dobrinsky, from MOWI Canada West on March 10, 2021.
After the presentation, Mayor Martin Davis of Tahsis, Campbell River Director Charlie Cornfield and Cortes Island Director Noba Anderson have comments or questions.
This segment of the meeting was opened and closed by SRD Chair Brad Unger.
Some key moments were:
Fraser’s statistics for the economic fallout, as a result of phasing out (11:59):

When Fraser said (14:44): “We are not asking government to reverse its decision.”
When Fraser described what industry is asking the Federal Government for(14:51):

When Mayor Martin Davies described the industries negative impacts in his area (17:13): “ … There has been many issues with disease, sea lice, that sort of thing. In Nootka Sound, where I live, we’ve had 100% mortality last year…”
Charlie Cornfield’s observations (23:43) of land based fish farms (which he has some experience with) and his belief the costs are such that they would happen in urban areas, “not in small communities on the east coast of Vancouver Island …”
When Cortes Island Director Noba Anderson said she had no interest in trying to renegotiate the government decision and asked Fraser (25:23), “What are you asking of the board today?”
To which Fraser responded to support their effort, as industry seeks to renegotiate the manner in which fish farms are being phased out of the Discovery Islands.
Links of Interest:
- (Cortes Currents) Why the Pacific Salmon Foundation supports the decision to remove open net fish farms
- (Cortes Currents) Two local environmentalists speak out in favour of DFO’s decision
- (Cortes Currents) Two competing fish farm presentations
- (Folk U/CKTZ/Cortes Currents) Reporter Roundtable: Fish farms and seaweed production
- (Cortes Currents) The Helicopter View: Fish farms around the world
- (Repost from Campbell River Mirror) Tahsis supports decision to phase out fish farms
- (Cortes Currents) SRD protests DFO’s failure to consult
- (Cortes Currents) North Vancouver Island mayors support fish farms
- (Cortes Currents) An industry considers prospects for survival
Top photo credit: Screenshot from YouTube video of March 10, 2021 SRD Board Meeting (Clockwise to top left) John Paul Fraser of the BC Salmon Farmer’s Association, CAO David Leitch, Director Noba Anderson, Campbell River Director Claire Moglove, Dean Dobrinsky, from MOWI Canada West
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