Tag Archives: PRV-1

Rivers & Oceans

Fish Farms may pose more than a minimal risk, studies suggest

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Three recent academic papers suggest that salmon farms may pose more than a minimal risk to wild salmon migrating through the Discovery Islands. 

In response, the BC Salmon Farmers Association emailed Cortes Currents that while these studies reported the presence of viruses, they did not show they were causing disease in farmed or wild salmon. 

Today’s program largely consists of interviews with Dr Andrew Bateman from the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF)’s Strategic Salmon Health Initiative (SSHI), one of the scientists involved in these studies, and readings from the industry’s response.

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Rivers & Oceans

Two local environmentalists speak out in favour of DFO’s decision

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Two well known Quadra Island environmentalists are speaking out in favour of the DFO’s decision to phase out salmon farms in the Discovery Islands.

After reading the text of the BC Salmon Farmers Association’s presentation to  the March 10th Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board Meeting, well known local author and Sierra Quadra Director Ray Grigg said, “They are offering nothing except for another delay, that’s all they want.” 

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Rivers & Oceans

Election 2020: What can an MLA do about fish farms?

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One of the reasons that Alexandra Morton is running for the Green Party in this election is that “over the last twenty years, I’ve seen the politics and policies that are killing off the wild salmon of this coast are also destroying our communities.” However fish farms are overseen by the Fisheries and Oceans Canada, not the provincial legislature. So I asked Alexandra, what can an MLA do about fish farms? 

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Rivers & Oceans

The DFO responds to questions about minimal risk

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Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) announcement unleashed a torrent of protests from First Nations leaders and environmentalists. How could “nine peer-reviewed, scientific risk assessments” find that salmon farms pose a ‘minimal risk’ to migrating Fraser River sockeye salmon? Two questions from Cortes Currents were amidst the deluge of correspondence they took in. It has taken more than a week, but the DFO finally responded to my questions about minimal risk.

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Rivers & Oceans

Namgis WIn Salmon Farm Appeal

North Island Gazette, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal has decided in favour of ‘Namgis First Nation’s allegation that Fisheries and Oceans should have consulted them before issuing a salmon farm transfer licence to Mowi in 2018.

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