Solving the Salmon Question

Salmon farmers want to be part of the solution to the decline of the sockeye salmon stock.

B.C. salmon farmers and their opponents agree on more things than they’ll probably admit. They both agree, for example, that feed for salmon needs to be as efficient as possible to reach true sustainability. They also agree that sea lice need diligent attention and monitoring. And they definitely agree that wild salmon are a marvel of nature and a key part of the province’s heritage and culture.

What they don’t agree on is how to assess the declining populations of wild stock – and that disagreement is about to come into sharp focus with the upcoming judicial sockeye inquiry.

The inquiry, called in November 2009 by the federal government, will see the Honourable Bruce Cohen investigate the reasons for the decline of sockeye salmon in the Fraser River. The B.C. Salmon Farmers Association and close to 60 organizations and individuals have applied for standing. Many of the applicants are outspoken salmon-farming opponents who have worked on anti salmon-farming campaigns for years. Their most recent claim is that there is a direct correlation between the sea lice causing a decline in wild stock and the salmon farms in the coastal waters of B.C.

Here’s the thing though – those salmon farms are nearly 100 kilometres from the mouth of the Fraser. And salmon stocks in rivers such as the Skeena have dropped as well, despite the fact that their juvenile sockeye go nowhere near salmon farms. If salmon farms are responsible for sea lice, why are there just as many infestations of sea lice on wild salmon in areas far away from farms as near them? There are clearly many other factors challenging the sockeye’s survival.

Our concern is that this inquiry – which has the potential to find real answers and potential solutions to the wild salmon question – will deteriorate into another inquiry on salmon farming alone. That’s not the answer.

Science is already showing links between climate change, increasing sea temperatures, and the change in marine environments. Just looking at the banks of the Fraser and its industrial activity raises questions about habitat impacts.

Salmon farmers will be represented at the inquiry, so that we can explain that we work under some of the most rigorous regulations and standards in the world and believe in going beyond to continue improving the industry. We are significant contributors to salmon enhancement efforts and leaders in marine research.

Getting rid of salmon farms may seem like an easy answer to the sockeye question, but it’s simply not. All that would achieve is the destruction of 6,000 direct and indirect jobs and the removal of $800 million from the provincial economy – while leaving the multitude of challenges wild salmon face as they are.

Working together to find solutions is the key – and we’re at the table ready to contribute.