First Nations Call for Closed Containment

See: http://nationtalk.ca/story/fnfc-open-net-pen-fish-farms-are-endangering-wild-salmon-bc-first-nations-call-for-transition-to-closed-containment-systems.

Here is what the FN are saying:

"the FNFC has heard from the vast majority of nations that fish farms cannot be supported.

“While we recognize that some First Nations seek economic returns through arrangements with some of these companies, the diseases and pathogens introduced by finfish farms pose too much risk in the ocean environment and our already struggling wild salmon populations, and cannot be supported by the Fisheries Council” said FNFC President Ken Malloway. “We do support the notion of transitioning these types of enterprises to land based, closed containment systems."

On this issue, here is what I have to say:

BC First Nations demand removal of all open net pen fish farms

This is the most important occurrence toward getting fish farms on-land, so far.

Aboriginals, after 30 years of complaint in BC, are actually putting their foot down on that the farms must be gotten out of the water. They vow to stay on the two farms until they are out.

The other things that go along with this are: DFO, in Ottawa, got burned in Burnt Church, and no longer wishes to quarrel with aboriginals; and the Delgamukw and Sparrow decisions paved the way for the most significant decision, the Tsilhqut’n regarding lands and waters in BC. The UBCIC, i.e., BC Indian chiefs, from my back and forth with them, are well aware of this. Hopefully, DFO and the feds lose.

It is not true that the WA escape led to the BC First Nation occupy movement. The two happened at roughly the same time, but the BC action was started concurrent with the Sea Shepherd sailing to record fish farm diseases, and the trip started in July.

Some stats on the low jobs and low revenue in fish farms are here: https://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2017/09/fish-farms-are-small-in-bc-jobs-and.html. Use the percentages to scale down DFO estimates in Atlantic Canada. Just so you know, the BC Stats report was for DFO and its name is on the cover, but DFO has refused to use the figures, using only Stats Can figures because they are higher. BC Stats started with the Stats Can figures and refined them, resulting in lower jobs and revenue. And, yes, look at the table and note that all aquaculture revenue is only 9.3% of the saltwater fish revenue. Look at how low the salary bill is as well, contributing to the low GDP effect.

Fish Farms Are Small in BC - Jobs and Revenue - Fin Donnelly, Time to Wake Up, Updated Sept 14, 2017 fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca Hi Fin Donnelly I have to point out to you, again, that fish farms are not about jobs and revenue, and they are not a big part of t...

On a related issue, it is fair to say that British Columbians lost faith in DFO a very long time ago, and it seems they are intentionally managing wild Pacific salmon into extinction, rather than freshwater habitat restoration, the solution. My calculation is that BC’s salmon averaged 73 million fish in the ocean before fisheries in the recent past, but DFO, in Ottawa’s, take is ‘any fish is a good fish’ (Otto Langer, former DFO scientist), even though this is 99.8% of all the wild salmon in Canada. Sad, as Mr. T would say.

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