| Archived Press Release
- October
19, 1999 |
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The Steelhead Society of BC
Calls New Fish Farm Rules
A Step in the Right Direction
October 19, 1999
Vancouver, BC - The Steelhead Society
of BC commends Provincial Fisheries Minister Dennis
Streifel's decision yesterday to maintain the moratorium
on open net-cage fish farming and to create 10 new operations
utilizing closed loop containment systems. "History
has shown conventional open net-cage fish farming poses
serious threats to our environment," stated Society
president Daniel Burns, "closed loop containment
systems, on the other hand, do prevent the escape of
salmon, antibiotics, infections, and excrement."
The moratorium officially remains capped
at 121 fish farms, though, at present there are only
85 farms in operation. The current overhaul of the aquaculture
industry includes plans that will allow dozens of fish
farms located in unproductive sites to relocate to more
productive sites. "Relocating fish farms will simply
shift the risk of disease transfer, water pollution,
and escaped Atlantic salmon from one site to another
and effectively increase the industries capacity to
grow fish," stated Burns.
On average 60,000 Atlantic salmon escape
from BC net-cages every year. These non-native fish
eat scarce food that would otherwise go to wild fish,
disturb wild salmon spawning beds, and introduce disease
and parasites into wild salmon stocks. In September
1998 it was confirmed by the provincial Fisheries Ministry
that one and two-year old juvenile Atlantic salmon had
been found in the Tsitika River near Robson Bright on
Vancouver Island. This discovery was the first clear
indication that escaped Atlantic salmon had successfully
spawned in the wild. Last week, a team of graduate students
from the University of Victoria found evidence indicating
Atlantic salmon have successfully spawned in yet another
river on Vancouver Island. It is now feared that escaped
Atlantic salmon could establish a viable population
on the West Coast, an event that could be detrimental
to fragile salmon stocks.
The Steelhead Society of BC commends
the provincial government for maintaining the moratorium
on conventional open net-cage salmon farming. The Society
feels maintaining the moratorium and investing in green
technologies and closed containment is a step in the
right direction for protecting wild fish and wild rivers.
However, the Society is apprehensive regarding how effective
the "strict environmental standards" described
in the new aquaculture policy will be. Consequently,
the Society calls on the provincial government to release
these standards for review. "With cooperation among
environmental organizations, the provincial government,
First Nations, and the aquaculture industry, British
Columbia could lead the world in developing a salmon
aquaculture industry which is both environmentally safe
and economically beneficial," stated Burns.
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