-white2.png){kind=logo}
-white2.png){kind=logo}
Conservation is the Priority
The protection of wild Pacific salmon must be prioritized in the Open-Net Pen Transition Plan.
120+ First Nations view the Open-Net Pen Transition Plan as critical to protecting wild Pacific salmon
Over 120 First Nations from across BC support the federal government's mandate to transition open-net pen salmon farms from coastal BC waters by 2025 as necessary to save wild Pacific salmon. This represents broad support from the majority of First Nations in BC.
Fisheries & Oceans Canada (DFO)'s current transition planning process is designed to protect the salmon farming industry NOT wild Pacific salmon
In the transition planning process, DFO has recharacterized 'transition'. Rather than 'transition from open-net pen salmon farms in coastal BC waters', as originally mandated by the federal government, DFO is operating at the direction of industry in recharacterizing 'transition' as 'progressive minimization'. 'Progressive minimization' allows for open-net pen salmon farms to stay in BC waters and calls for 'progressively minimizing' the interaction between farmed and wild salmon. There are currently no proven technologies effective at achieving this 'progressive minimization'.
.png)
“The FNWSA position, which is consistent with the federal government’s, is based upon court rulings, it’s based upon the Auditor General Report, it’s based upon the Standing Committee of Fisheries and Oceans, it’s based upon true peer-reviewed science, globally and within this country."
– Bob Chamberlin, Chair, FNWSA
DFO has consistently demonstrated behaviour that erodes the public’s trust
In the transition planning process, one of the stated objectives is 'trust and transparency', aiming for 'improved trust, transparency, and clarity of regulatory goals and actions.' The very fact that rebuilding trust and transparency is a stated objective indicates that DFO recognizes its previous failures.
DFO has a track record of ignoring orders of the Federal Courts, recommendations from a judicial inquiry, the Auditor General, Canada’s Chief Science Advisor, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans (FOPO), and peer-reviewed science.
DFO ignores First Nations' right to full disclosure of scientific data in consultation and accommodation
Contrary to First Nations’ right to a fair, good faith, and transparent consultation process nested within the transition planning process, DFO has repeatedly failed to provide requested scientific data to First Nations. These actions seriously undermine the stated objective of rebuilding trust and transparency.
The FNWSA rejects industry-biased risk assessments of the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS)
First Nations leaders do not support the ten science risk assessments of CSAS which DFO currently relies upon to conclude that open-net pen salmon farms pose no more than minimal risk to wild Pacific salmon. The CSAS process is heavily dominated by representatives of the salmon farming industry and is operated by the aquaculture branch of DFO, which has an internal mandate to promote and expand the aquaculture industry.
"The (CSAS) processes were neither unbiased nor independent. The risk assessments were implemented, closely managed and influenced by senior officials from DFO aquaculture – and employees, contractors and others linked to the salmon farming industry served on the steering committee and as senior reviewers, so that conflict of interest threatened the integrity of the process."
– Dr. Andrew Bateman, Manager of PSF’s Salmon Health program
On January 30, 2023, 16 professors and research scientists wrote an open letter to the Fisheries Minister pointing to "serious scientific failings" in DFO's risk assessment report on open-net pen salmon farms in BC
DFO officials investigated over alleged attempts to silence scientists
The Public Sector Integrity Commissioner, Harriet Solloway, is investigating whether DFO officials seriously breached the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and DFO’s own Policy on Science Integrity “by attempting to silence scientists through reprimands, to dissuade them from communicating with the media and the public about their research; and by attempting to obstruct or influence their testimony before FOPO.”
'Na̱mg̱is First Nation reactivates judicial review of DFO's salmon farm virus policy
DFO’s PRV Policy allows open-net pen fish farms to be stocked with fish infected with PRV because DFO claims PRV poses no more than a minimal risk to wild Pacific salmon. The PRV Policy is a key aquaculture policy that allows open-net pen farms to operate in BC.
DFO ignored Precautionary Principle in sustainable fisheries management – Former Ministers didn't
The Precautionary Principle is a pillar of Canada’s management fisheries, including aquaculture. The Precautionary Principle requires governments to prevent environmental harm by anticipating, preventing, and attacking the causes of environmental degradation. Governments cannot use scientific uncertainty to avoid that responsibility or to delay action that will avoid serious harm to fish stocks or their ecosystems.
In contrast to DFO advice, former Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray embraced the Precautionary Principle in her 2023 decision to remove open-net pen salmon farms from the Discovery Islands in BC.
“We can’t afford any manageable stresses because the failure to protect wild salmon is simply not an option.”
– Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard
FNWSA calls on the Fisheries Minister to apply the Precautionary Principle outlined in Canada's Ocean Act to remove all salmon farms from BC waters
The Fisheries Minister must continue to embrace the Precautionary Principle to fulfill the federal government's mandate to transition all remaining open-net pen salmon farms from coastal BC waters. As stated in the federal courts, this approach requires the removal of all salmon farms on the east coast of Vancouver Island, as they pose a direct threat to juvenile wild Pacific salmon migrating from the Fraser River. It defies good governance, responsible management and the Ocean's Act that the same principle enacted in the Discovery Islands cannot be applied to the same migration route a few miles up the coast.
“We're clear in our messaging to the Minister and her officials that they're doing harm to our right, doing harm to our relation to the salmon, our relation to the river. They must continue their mandate to continue removing the open-net pen fish farms from the migratory routes.”
– Tyrone McNeil, President, Stó:lō Tribal Council
Contact us:
-white2.png){kind=logo}