Seafood farmers, First Nations welcome Joanne Thompson’s return as Fisheries Minister and Jonathan Wilkinson’s exit from cabinet as signs of a science-based, indigenous-led reset for salmon aquaculture.
By Fabian Dawson
SeaWestNews
Canada’s seafood farmers are cautiously optimistic that Joanne Thompson’s reappointment as Fisheries Minister signals Prime Minister Mark Carney’s departure from the Trudeau era’s activist-driven policies that have devastated the nation’s aquaculture sector.
Thompson, the MP for St. John’s East, is Canada’s fourth Fisheries Minister in five years. She was first appointed to the role two months ago when Carney took over as Prime Minister, replacing Justin Trudeau. Her reappointment now cements her position in Carney’s first post-election cabinet.
Equally significant for the aquaculture industry is the cabinet exclusion of former minister Jonathan Wilkinson, whose activist-aligned legacy and refusal to engage with Indigenous leaders on salmon farming issues made him a lightning rod for criticism. His exit is being quietly welcomed by seafood producers and coastal First Nations, who see it as a necessary step toward restoring science and sanity to Canada’s aquaculture policy.
The North Vancouver MP was part of a Trudeau-era cabal of ministers and MPs from British Columbia who aligned closely with activist groups, sidelining federal science and Indigenous voices in a bid to force the removal of salmon farms from the ocean.
Wilkinson was instrumental in pushing the narrative that ocean-based salmon farms must transition to land-based systems, despite expert warnings that such technology is neither economically viable nor environmentally sustainable for B.C.
In an op-ed posted on social media Monday, salmon farming First Nations—the Kitasoo Xai’xais and the Tlowitsis—said Wilkinson is “unfit to return to serve in a Mark Carney Cabinet.”
“If Wilkinson respected Indigenous self-determination and supported true economic reconciliation in the best interest of rights-holding First Nations, seeking to claw our way out of poverty and create meaningful jobs and revenue, he would choose to work with us. Instead, he has shown disdain and disregard for us as Canadians and as Canada’s first peoples, all to please his radical environmental friends in urban Vancouver,” they said.
Wilkinson, in a message on X, included his announcement on “the end of open-net aquaculture in B.C.” as part of his accomplishments.
The BC Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA) said it is encouraged by Carney’s decision to keep Thompson as Minister of Fisheries. The move, along with Carney’s broader cabinet choices, is being viewed as a welcome course correction toward a more evidence-based and economically pragmatic approach to fisheries policies—ones that are rooted in Indigenous rights.
Under the Trudeau government, B.C.’s salmon farming sector—responsible for $1.17 billion in annual economic output and 4,560 full-time jobs—suffered a 45% drop in production due to politically driven decisions that ignored peer-reviewed science.
“We call on the new government for a revised policy direction developed in true partnership with Rights Holder First Nations,” said the BCSFA.
“If a clear signal is provided that there is a future for salmon farming in B.C., including rescinding the ban on marine net pens by 2029, our sector stands ready to invest, innovate, and grow, while continuing to respect the lands and waters where we operate.”
With that certainty, B.C.’s salmon farming sector has the potential to deliver $2.5 billion in annual economic output, $930 million in GDP, 9,000 jobs, and $560 million in wages by 2030—all while helping Canada meet its climate and reconciliation goals, said the BCSFA.
“Minister Thompson brings experience in healthcare and small business, but not a background rooted in fisheries policy,” said a resource economy analyst.
“Yes, she’s from Newfoundland and Labrador, a province with strong ties to fishing and aquaculture, but the regulatory landscape and challenges in B.C. are vastly different. Her previous roles don’t necessarily translate into the depth of expertise needed to navigate B.C.’s complex aquaculture file.”
“However, a fresh look not impeded by ideology and activism could be exactly what’s needed,” the analyst said.
“If Minister Thompson approaches the portfolio with pragmatism and a commitment to science-based policy, she has the opportunity to reset the conversation and rebuild trust with industry and Indigenous partners.”
That message of cautious optimism was echoed by the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA), which praised the direction signaled by Carney’s cabinet and expressed readiness to work with Minister Thompson to unlock the untapped potential of Canada’s seafood sector.
“Canada has the most cold-water aquaculture potential in the world. With highly skilled people and many coastal communities waiting for new opportunities and renewal, precision farming of our waters is a unique opportunity for Canada.
“For over twenty years, Canada has flatlined in aquaculture production growth while using only a small fragment of our biophysical potential. Canada needs a new vision for aquaculture development and renewed government leadership to get Canada to the next level of production and excellence in aquaculture production,” CAIA said in a statement.
(Main image shows Canada’s new Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson)