Opening up minds about aquaculture in 2019
New Pacific Northwest alliance and a slew of initiatives will show how aquaculture will help combat climate change, over-fishing, and loss of habitat.
By Fabian Dawson
SeaWestNews
Opening up minds will be the key challenge for the
aquaculture industry in Canada and the United States in 2019, as seafood
farmers seek to spread their stories of sustainability and innovation.
In the Pacific Northwest, the Washington Fish Growers
Association (WFGA) is being rebranded as the Northwest Aquaculture Alliance
(NWAA) to represent the industry in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and
British Columbia.
“The acceptance of aquaculture is happening around the
world…It can and should happen here,” said seafood industry veteran, Jeanne
McKnight, who will serve as interim executive director of the NWAA. (pictured)
“There’s huge opportunity for our region to embrace this
important industry and enjoy sustainably produced, locally grown fish and
seafood alongside our wonderful wild seafood,” she told SeaWestNews.
As part of the transition, longtime WFGA executive director,
Dan Swecker, the former state senator from Rochester, WA, will retire but
continue to advise the new aquaculture advocacy organization as Director
Emeritus.
“As a respected former Senator with a reputation for finding
solutions, Dan has led this organization through some very significant
challenges,’ said John Dentler, WFGA Board President, who will continue his
work with the newly minted NWAA.
“As we work to build a broader and stronger coalition, Dan
will continue to help guide and advise us to achieve future success,” said
Dentler, adding “we will be stronger together”.
John Paul Fraser, the executive director of the B.C. Salmon
Farmers Association (BCSFA), which represents 59 businesses and organizations
throughout the $1.5 billion value chain of finfish aquaculture in B.C.,
welcomed the opportunity to work with the new Northwest Pacific Aquaculture
Alliance.
A proponent of moving the aquaculture narrative from
“conflict to conversation”, Fraser said the cross-border alliance can be an
effective pedestal to showcase “the story of just how important and progressive
this industry is.”
“Aquaculture is an important, responsible industry helping
feed a hungry world while protecting wild populations from overfishing by
providing a sustainably-raised alternative. Every salmon raised on a farm is
one less wild salmon caught and eaten,” he said.
“The reality is the science tells us B.C.’s salmon farms are
not harming populations of wild salmon, but supporting them. We need to tell
that story.”
Federal Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson warned in 2018
that the polarized debate over fish farming in British Columbia is threatening
a viable and sustainable food source for the world.
“I
will tell you personally that I believe that aquaculture is part of the
solution,”said Wilkinson, who over the past two months has announced
several initiatives to ignite a new approach to both aquaculture regulation and
protection of wild fish species.
The Independent Expert Panel led by Canada’s Chief Science
Advisor Dr. Mona Nemer has also stressed the need for a comprehensive communication
plan, that will include indigenous and local knowledge, to proactively
disseminate aquaculture science to consumers, the general public, scientists
and industry.
“Such an approach would allow information on scientific
findings, scientific uncertainties and science-informed decisions to be
communicated at the appropriate level,” she said in her report.
The Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA), which
wants to advance public understanding of aquaculture science, said that while
there is a very large body of high quality science that has been done, the
public is oftentimes not aware of this work.
It has established a council of emerging leaders in
aquaculture to showcase the growing presence of young people in the sustainable
future of farming the oceans.
“We need to find new ways to show Canadians just how
kick-ass and caring we are as an industry,” said Raymond J. Taylor, who heads
the council.
Meanwhile, a report from a forum held at the Aquarium of the
Pacific said there is “an immediate need to develop strong narratives to
support strategies designed to approach specific audiences and accomplish
specific communication goals in regards to all types of marine aquaculture.”
“The groups opposing marine aquaculture know how to
effectively engage with regulators, legislators, and concerned members of the
public to communicate on an emotional level…We need projects to demonstrate
through direct and empirical observations that we can do what we claim we can
do…farm seafood responsibly in the ocean,” the report stated.
The Aquarium of the Pacific is among other global
initiatives that are building communication toolkits to ensure aquaculture in
2019 is not about ‘wild vs farmed’ but about ‘wild and farmed’ co-existing
sustainably to combat climate change, over-fishing, and loss of habitat.
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