Three candidates in B.C.’s election outline what their parties will do to support the salmon farming sector in the province.
By SeaWestNews
The salmon farming industry in British Columbia has become a contentious issue in the upcoming provincial election, particularly in the North Vancouver Island riding, where it plays a significant economic role.
As Ottawa moves to curtail salmon farming operations in the province, thousands of people in First Nations and coastal communities on Vancouver Island and BC’s central coast are concerned about their jobs.
Their livelihoods hang in the balance after the Federal Liberal government, ignoring its own scientists to shore-up support in their urban strongholds, announced a ban on open-net salmon farms in B.C. after 2029.
The Coalition of First Nations for Finfish Stewardship said the ban is an infringement on their traditional rights, given that 100 percent of BC’s farmed salmon is raised in agreement with Rights Holder First Nations.
In Canada, provincial and federal governments share responsibility for managing the industry, and these responsibilities vary between provinces.
On the west coast, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans issues salmon farming licences and remains responsible for the management and control of salmon aquaculture. The government of B.C. grants the tenure for the marine operations.
The post 2029-ban announcement and the government’s Transition Plan for the sector has thrust salmon farming in B.C. into the spotlight of the provincial election, especially on Vancouver Island.
In this context, three candidates for the North Island riding – Anna Kindy from the Conservative Party of BC, Michele Babchuk of the BC NDP, and Nic Dedeluk representing the BC Greens – have shared their perspectives on the future of the sector.
Below are their responses:
Question: Farmed salmon is British Columbia’s largest agricultural export, contributing around $1.2 billion annually to British Columbia’s economy. What will your parties do to support the industry and protect the jobs which are largely in the North Island riding?
Anna Kindy, Conservative Party of BC: “Fish farms are one of the economic drivers of the North Island community. Almost every day that we have door knocked in the North Island, we have talked to someone who is employed in the fish farm industry either directly or indirectly like equipment supply, feed production and transportation. Fish farms generate millions of dollars each year and provide good paying jobs to our community. Of note, Norway has over 1,200 fish farms. In BC we have 57. There have been many advances in the fish farm industry including the monitoring of fish health, sea lice and escape. Of note, the BC government has introduced stringent sea lice monitoring. In addition, over the past 100 years, there has been over 200 attempts to introduce Atlantic salmon to our coasts which have all failed. Fish farms are a key part of economic reconciliations with our indigenous populations where they are welcomed. It has contributed to the financial stability, health and self-determination of first nations communities. The regulation of fish farms is a federal matter. Prior to 2014, fish farms were under provincial jurisdiction as it still is in Nova Scotia. As a provincial candidate for the BC conservatives, we need to support our industries that provide good paying jobs. I have visited fish farms, hatcheries as well as fish processing plants in our community. I also have read the scientific papers which overall conclude fish farms as being low risk to the surrounding habitat. I therefore support the fish farming industries that follow BC’s stringent guidelines and monitoring.”
Michele Babchuk, BC NDP: “Once again, we are dealing with a federal transition (plan), and they are dragging their feet, so the uncertainty of this industry is absolutely high, and it’s making people extremely anxious. As a province, we are in charge of tenure, and what we have historically and continue to say is that there are two clarifications that need to happen: if DFO gives the licence, which means that they have met all of the environmental targets and they are not impeding a run of salmon with a farm and that Indigenous participation in the form of a joint venture or an MOU has been signed, then we will issue tenure. That’s not just the end of it, we need to make sure that as we move forward with industry that we are doing a modern and sustainable way of doing business. And we have industry here, like Poseidon, Heather and Matt Clarke, who are at the leading edge of technology that is creating a barrier between what a farmed salmon and our wild stocks would be. So, we need to be able to take this out of the boardroom and put it in the kitchen for people that are in these industries. It doesn’t matter which side of the farmed salmon you are on; you have to agree that it is a large economy for the North end of Vancouver Island and if the feds are gonna blow it up then they need to pay for it.”
Nic Dedeluk, BC Greens: “I think that farmed salmon in the ocean is no longer sustainable. We have lots of science saying that we need farmed salmon out of the ocean. People are concerned about jobs, and I think that there should be a transition plan so that our employment isn’t lost. Saying that the farms are going to go to closed containment is one really great answer, but for our riding, they’re not going to move to closed containment in our riding. So, while that is a solution that protects jobs, it’s not a solution that is going to work in our riding. So, we need to work on a transition plan. There’s lots of jobs out there, there’s lots of wild salmon jobs out there. There are salmon stewardship jobs that are available. We will be working to transition those employees that are losing their jobs from the transition plan.”
Elections BC says more than a million British Columbians have cast their ballots in advance voting, Advance polls have now closed, but voters can still cast their ballots at any district electoral office in the province until 8 p.m. on Oct 19.