(Part 1 of 2, click here for Part 2)
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is in the midst of consultations about the immediate future of fish farms in the Discovery Islands and transitioning the open net pen industry out of coastal British Columbian waters by 2025. But DFO approved the expansion of Cermaq Canada’s farms at Bawden Point, Millar Channel and Dixon Bay in Clayoquot Sound.
Continue reading DFO approves three fish farm expansions in Clayoquot Sound
By Melissa Renwick, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Gold River, BC – The first transfer of juvenile Atlantic salmon has been made to Grieg Seafood BC Ltd.’s Expansion Project, which was completed this spring.
Continue reading Grieg Seafood completes land-based hatchery expansion in Gold River
Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced a two-year renewal of licences for marine finfish aquaculture facilities outside of the Discovery Islands.
“I have mixed opinions about the announcement. I think there’s some good things and there are some not so good things,” said Stan Proboszcz, senior scientist with the Watershed Watch Salmon Society. “They received a license for two years based on these conditions and those conditions are rules that the salmon farms need to follow. Part of the problem is, we actually don’t have a copy of those rules yet.”
Continue reading Two year renewal of fish farm licenses
Sometime in the next three weeks, Canada’s Minister of Fisheries, Joyce Murray, will decide whether the licenses for 79 fish farms will be renewed.
“I heard a rumour that the minister laid out her options or her ideas to cabinet and cabinet has the plans right now. They’re figuring out what to do. We can expect an announcement quite shortly on the plan around the transition of farms out of British Columbia and also the licensing decision,” said Stan Proboszcz, senior scientist with the Watershed Watch Salmon Society.
Continue reading Waiting for DFO to decide the fate of open-net pen fish farms
On Friday, May 27, a group of pro-fish farm scientists responded to recent testimonies before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans through an opinion article in the Globe and Mail.
Four of the authors are from British Columbia.
Continue reading Pro Fish farm scientists respond through Globe and Mail
