Tag Archives: Stan Proboszcz

Rivers & Oceans

Ottawa is scaling back its promise to phase out open net-pen salmon farms, critics say

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Environmental groups worry Ottawa is backtracking on its commitment to phase out open net-pen salmon farming in B.C. waters after approving expansions to three operations off the west coast of Vancouver Island. 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has permitted Cermaq Canada to significantly increase the volume of Atlantic salmon produced at three farm sites in Clayoquot Sound, said Bonny Glambeck, campaigns director for Clayoquot Action. 

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Rivers & Oceans

What role will semi closed containment system fish farms have after 2025?

(Part 2 of 2, click here for Part 1)

The fish farm industry does not want to leave British Columbia’s coastal waters in 2025. 

In a recent press release Andreas Kvame, CEO of Grieg Seafood, said, “Our industry is in continuous development with new technologies and innovations, and in Grieg Seafood we are committed to improvements that strengthen biological control and reduce interactions with wild salmon.” 

David Kemiele, Managing Director of Cermaq emailed Cortes Currents, “Our new protocol extends to the end of 2025 and we are using that time to refine what our operations will look like moving forward beyond 2025 and definitely innovation plays a critical role in that plan.”

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Politics, Rivers & Oceans

DFO approves three fish farm expansions in Clayoquot Sound

(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.

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Rivers & Oceans

Waiting for DFO to decide the fate of open-net pen fish farms

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.

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Rivers & Oceans

Before the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans: Was DFO’s ‘minimal risk’ assessment a cover-up?

(Click here to access other presentations taken from the Committee.)

At the May 12 session of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, Stan Proboszcz, senior scientist at the Watershed Watch Salmon Society suggested that DFO covered-up some of its own research when it concluded fish farms pose ‘minimal risk’ to wild salmon. He said they appear to have reduced the number of science risk assessments from 10 to 9 because the evidence indicated sea lice harm wild sockeye.

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