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Update: Management Change
In September 2009, the provincial government relinquished control and management of marine fin-fish aquaculture to the federal government as a result of the BC Supreme Court’s Hinkson decision. The federal government has been ordered by the court to take over management of BC marine fin-fish aquaculture by December 2010, with the Province maintaining management until the transfer is complete.
The Province will, by law, retain control over tenures under the Land Act and will retain management of shellfish, land-based contained systems and freshwater aquaculture. All other elements -- including licensing, aquaculture management plans, waste management regulation and fish health -- will fall to the federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
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Although the Province will no longer be managing the aquaculture industry, it still has several important responsibilities moving forward:
- As stated above, new farm applications can only proceed with the Province’s approval of siting and tenures under the Land Act. There are seven new farm applications currently on the books – two of them massive farms of 4,000 metric tones each. CAAR is monitoring the advancement of these applications should action be required in response to approval of any of these proposed farms.
- In 2008, the provincial government placed a moratorium on salmon farms along British Columbia’s North Coast. The Province has indicated that the change in management will not affect the moratorium, and CAAR will be monitoring this agreement to confirm it remains intact.
- The Province has an economic development responsibility to ensure vibrant sustainable coastal communities in BC. This can be furthered by providing support and funding for closed containment research and development. CAAR will continue to work with the Provincial government on this issue.
Take Action!
Send a fax to the key decision makers at the Provincial level: Premier Gordon Campbell; Honorable Iain Black, Minister of Economic Development; and Honorable Steve Thomson, Minister of Agriculture & Lands – urging them to:
- make the moratorium on new open net-cage salmon farms and increases in total production in BC permanent
- support and fund the development of a sustainable aquaculture infrastructure in BC, and the creation of green jobs in coastal communities
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