Fish farms in Broughton Archipelago to be phased out by 2023

[wildmanyeah]

https://thetyee.ca/News/2018/12/16/Salmon-Farms-to-Close/

Plan to Close Fish Farms on Salmon Migration Routes a ‘Step in Right Direction’

Oh and here I though elmo was going to retire...

 

[fogged in]

My feeling is Alexandra Morton has and continues to do a great service to help the survival of wild salmon from the threat of Open Net Pen Atlantic Fish Farms.
Most everyone agrees Fish Farms have an impact on wild salmon, the question is to what extent.
If anyone of this forum feels fish farms have no effect on wild salmon what so ever, go for it as everyone in entitled to an opinion.

 

[OldBlackDog]

And that is just the beginning.
More to come this year for sports fishing .

Your also right this will have huge ramifications for sports fishing, Just look what first nations have declared on the skeena their traditional territory. Will the provence also approve that request?

 

[cohochinook]

Chek polls are simply vote, clear history, refresh, vote again. Industry has learned this and skews the polls in their favour. You will find it interesting that while the poll shows that majority in in their favour, 99% of the hundreds of comments are against the Farms. I believe that the comments speak very loud as to what the true public opinion is.

I just tested it. You set up your browser incognito or private and you can keep voting. I voted 5 times!

 

[Fishmyster]

My feeling is Alexandra Morton has and continues to do a great service to help the survival of wild salmon from the threat of Open Net Pen Atlantic Fish Farms.
Most everyone agrees Fish Farms have an impact on wild salmon, the question is to what extent.
If anyone of this forum feels fish farms have no effect on wild salmon what so ever, go for it as everyone in entitled to an opinion.

In my opinion The demise of our salmon populations is linked to the global die off of insects caused from acidic deposition and nothing to do with fish farms. My opinion comes from, water quality testing, study water quality thresholds for ecology, analysis of local rain or surface water quality history combined with four decades of extensive in field observations. I may be the only person in Canada who believes this but I am ok with that. I am also the only person who is doing field work rather than forming my opinion from what is popular solicited information found on the internet.

 

[agentaqua]

Been down this road many times now, FM. Pinks & chums don't use the FW to rear their juvies - but spawn only - and sockeye generally use lakes - with their own lake chemistry. So changes in FW pH would have limited - if any - effects on them. You consistently ignore this reality in your blind belief that water chemistry is always the culprit in any negative or positive change in salmon population numbers.

So - no - quite simply you are wrong in your assumptions wrt the role of pH in all species and stock interactions - and the role of fish farms. I believe that the lack of response by other authorities demonstrates their similar unease in dealing with someone whom appears obviously unfamiliar with anadromous salmon lifecycles.

 

[Birdsnest]

Been down this road many times now, FM. Pinks & chums don't use the FW to rear their juvies - but spawn only - and sockeye generally use lakes - with their own lake chemistry. So changes in FW pH would have limited - if any - effects on them. You consistently ignore this reality in your blind belief that water chemistry is always the culprit in any negative or positive change in salmon population numbers.

So - no - quite simply you are wrong in your assumptions and the lack of response by other authorities demonstrates their similar unease in dealing with someone obviously unfamiliar with anadromous salmon lifecycles.

So freshwater stream and river PH change has no effect on the maturation/development of pink, sockeye, and chum eggs because they don't eat any available feed sources in these systems? The science is settled on this? Can you show me 1 or 2 studies that suggest egg development for these species is unaffected by any changes in PH for the entire cycle of any of these species? It seems unscientific of you to so blatantly state there is no relationship here, period. This is complex biology.

 

[Admin]

Page 3 and we are already off topic. If you want to start a thread on water chemistry please have at it but keep this one to it's intended purpose of discussion.

 

[cohochinook]

This was put out by the Pacific Salmon Foundation today.(see below) The PSF has stated in this announcement that "PSF recommended earlier this year that British Columbia and Canada must put wild Pacific salmon first by moving to closed-containment salmon aquaculture"

On Friday, it was announced that up to seventeen open-net-pen fish farms in B.C.'s Broughton Archipelago will be phased out by 2023 under a new agreement between First Nations and the provincial government. Please see our statement below:

December 14, 2018vember-03-16

Statement of Dr. Brian Riddell, President and CEO, Pacific Salmon Foundation
Regarding: Recommendations for Finfish Aquaculture in the Broughton Archipelago


“On behalf of the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF), I commend the Province of British Columbia and three First Nations’, in consultation with industry representatives, for the consensus recommendations 'Collaborative Solutions for Finfish Aquaculture in the Broughton Area.'

Clearly, extensive time, thought and energy went into these detailed consensus recommendations. It is very encouraging to see progress being made in this region, particularly given the long-standing and well documented concerns around sea-lice and risks of disease between open-net pen aquaculture and wild Pacific salmon. It is clear that an incremental, phased approach will unfold, and this is prudent given the many stakeholders and interests that must be respected. I was particularly pleased to see that the findings of the Minister of Agriculture’s Advisory Council on Finfish Aquaculture were a source of guidance for the consensus recommendations, as that was a highly consultative process that integrated many scientific, economic, environmental and cultural viewpoints on this issue. Respect for First Nations’ in the region, collaboration between all parties, and inclusion of an independent monitoring program are notable achievements!

Coupled with this announcement, PSF was also very pleased to see the announcement earlier this week by federal fisheries minister Jonathan Wilkinson announcing new steps in response to concerns that PSF and others have raised about potential impacts to wild salmon from farms located on wild salmon migration routes. We applaud the federal government's announcement of a new British Columbia Salmon Fisheries Innovation Fund and related plans to study alternative technologies for aquaculture, including land and sea-based closed containment technology.

PSF recommended earlier this year that British Columbia and Canada must put wild Pacific salmon first by moving to closed-containment salmon aquaculture. We took this position based on the results of our own research to date and the reduced abundance of most wild Pacific salmon. During the transition in this Broughton Agreement, everything possible should be done to improve the assessment of the risks to wild Pacific salmon, including through the work of the PSF Strategic Salmon Health Initiative that is being done in partnership with PSF, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Genome BC.”

 

[wildmanyeah]

This was put out by the Pacific Salmon Foundation today.(see below) The PSF has stated in this announcement that "PSF recommended earlier this year that British Columbia and Canada must put wild Pacific salmon first by moving to closed-containment salmon aquaculture"

On Friday, it was announced that up to seventeen open-net-pen fish farms in B.C.'s Broughton Archipelago will be phased out by 2023 under a new agreement between First Nations and the provincial government. Please see our statement below:

December 14, 2018vember-03-16

Statement of Dr. Brian Riddell, President and CEO, Pacific Salmon Foundation
Regarding: Recommendations for Finfish Aquaculture in the Broughton Archipelago


“On behalf of the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF), I commend the Province of British Columbia and three First Nations’, in consultation with industry representatives, for the consensus recommendations 'Collaborative Solutions for Finfish Aquaculture in the Broughton Area.'

Clearly, extensive time, thought and energy went into these detailed consensus recommendations. It is very encouraging to see progress being made in this region, particularly given the long-standing and well documented concerns around sea-lice and risks of disease between open-net pen aquaculture and wild Pacific salmon. It is clear that an incremental, phased approach will unfold, and this is prudent given the many stakeholders and interests that must be respected. I was particularly pleased to see that the findings of the Minister of Agriculture’s Advisory Council on Finfish Aquaculture were a source of guidance for the consensus recommendations, as that was a highly consultative process that integrated many scientific, economic, environmental and cultural viewpoints on this issue. Respect for First Nations’ in the region, collaboration between all parties, and inclusion of an independent monitoring program are notable achievements!

Coupled with this announcement, PSF was also very pleased to see the announcement earlier this week by federal fisheries minister Jonathan Wilkinson announcing new steps in response to concerns that PSF and others have raised about potential impacts to wild salmon from farms located on wild salmon migration routes. We applaud the federal government's announcement of a new British Columbia Salmon Fisheries Innovation Fund and related plans to study alternative technologies for aquaculture, including land and sea-based closed containment technology.

PSF recommended earlier this year that British Columbia and Canada must put wild Pacific salmon first by moving to closed-containment salmon aquaculture. We took this position based on the results of our own research to date and the reduced abundance of most wild Pacific salmon. During the transition in this Broughton Agreement, everything possible should be done to improve the assessment of the risks to wild Pacific salmon, including through the work of the PSF Strategic Salmon Health Initiative that is being done in partnership with PSF, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Genome BC.”

This was already posted 2 pages back and you even liked it....

 

[cohochinook]

This was already posted 2 pages back and you even liked it....

Sorry for the duplication. With multiple discussions occurring on the Forum, sometimes it's easy to lose track of where you read a post. I had just received the email today from PSF.

 

[Englishman]

This is all fabulous news.! The days of the open net pen fish feed lots are truly numbered.

I just received this e-mail from Dr. Craig Orr of Watershed Watch.

"Last Friday marked the most significant milestone in Watershed Watch’s nearly two-decade battle against destructive salmon farming practices.

We joined the Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis, ‘Namgis, and Mamalilikulla First Nations, Premier John Horgan, federal Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, Chief Bob Chamberlin, the farming industry, and many government staff in Victoria to bear witness to the announcement of the removal of Atlantic salmon farms from the Broughton Archipelago.

After nearly 5 months of negotiations, these parties agreed that four farms will shut down next year, two the following year, and four more in the two years after. The remaining 7 will close after this—unless industry earns host First Nations’ approval to operate in their territories.

Arguably, the most striking outcome of the deal is the creation of the Indigenous Monitoring and Inspection Plan (IMIP), with First Nations oversight of monitoring and testing for pathogens, diseases, and disease agents during the phase-out period.

The IMIP essentially bestows a regulatory role to First Nations, and is a potential game-changer that will help ensure no further viruses such as piscine reovirus are introduced into the waters of the Broughton. Future monitoring and oversight will also apply to the area’s integrated sea lice management program.

Watershed Watch was asked to witness this historic agreement because we provided scientific and technical advice to the First Nations and their lawyers sitting at the negotiation table. While that’s simply part of our mandate, it was also an incredible honour, and we are proud of both our role and the work and vision of the indigenous leaders, especially Chief Bob Chamberlin, who drove such an incredible result.

As always, much remains to be done. Next we’ll help set up monitoring and oversight programs. And we hope to continue responding to other First Nations who ask for our help, so that this progress spreads to other areas impacted by open net-cage farming.

To do this, we need your support. Please consider donating to Watershed Watch to ensure we see more such outcomes in 2019 and beyond."

The full recommendations are here:- https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Steering_Committee_Broughton_Recommendations.pdf

 

[rockdog]

I just tested it. You set up your browser incognito or private and you can keep voting. I voted 5 times!

Now imagine if you had a program running that for you how many votes you could get in. This is why you see the poll skewed in favour of the farms, but when you read the several hundred comments only about 1-2% are in favour of the farms. Chek should know better and attempt to fix this glich so their polls would actually mean something.

 

[rockdog]

This is all fabulous news.! The days of the open net pen fish feed lots are truly numbered....

We can only hope Englishman. There will be no drop in production or layoffs, and I've read that some of the farms they've agreed to close have been fallowed for years. So I don't think they gave up much really, and it'll be business as usual. BA would be open, but why in 5 years? This doesn't make much sense to me yet.

 

[wildmanyeah]

https://www.undercurrentnews.com/20...egulators-must-acknowledge-coastal-diversity/

Atlantic Canada’s fish farmers: Regulators must acknowledge coastal diversity

 

[wildmanyeah]

Thats bad.

"The "exotic" strain of PRV found, determined to be similar to one found at the Icelandic hatchery Cooke sources its eggs from, poses a risk to native Pacific salmon stocks, the state found. "

https://www.undercurrentnews.com/20...00000-salmon-in-washington-after-prv-finding/

Cooke ordered to cull 800,000 salmon in Washington after PRV finding

 

[Pastafarian]

Well, I am in favour of the removal of open net fish farms. I've been fortunate enough to have participated in many on-site field surveys of open net farms. With my own eyes I've seen the desolate substrate that lies beneath these farms and have observed massive holes in nets where fish have escaped. A land based approach seems much more reasonable. If only we could get more FN bands to get onside with this decision! Anyhow, that's great news for the broughtons and a step in the right direction for wild salmon!
Pastafarian

 

[Cuba Libre]

Money talks..... this is not the silver bullet that will remove fish farms. Pay off a few FNs, and move the pens around a bit and its business as usual.

 

[fish4all]

Money talks..... this is not the silver bullet that will remove fish farms. Pay off a few FNs, and move the pens around a bit and its business as usual.

Sad but very true.

 

[Fish Camp]

I am pritty sure the farms being removed are past there expirey date.If sold to another company or moved it would be a crime.the farms should be removed from the water and disasmbled for scrap.this was the case with cook's farm last year .the farm was past its epirey date ,and sold ,and then set up shop again.