Marine Mammals Killed by Fish Farms in BC And Around the World - Updated April 8, 2016

I have looked into the numbers of marine mammals killed in BC, Canada by fish farms. This type of kill happens everywhere in the world that fish farms set up shop and there are sea mammals and birds.

There are three periods to the BC data: from 1984 at industry start-up to 1989 + DFO study period - 1990 - 2000 + 2001 - 2011. Respectively, these figures are 6,243 X 6/11 + 6,243 + 1,821 = 3,405 + 6,243 + 1,821 = 11,469. In other words there have been an extremely large number of marine mammals killed by fish farms in BC.

The DFO document to read is: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/Csas/DocREC/2001/RES2001_142e.pdf. The conclusions are on page 27, and recommendations follow. It said the killing of marine mammals should stop, and that the 6,243 figure was conservative, hence, the estimate of the earlier period, 3,405 will be conservative also. The 2010 DFO draft regs still authorize the kill.

DFO sent me the PDF on the 2001 to 2011 period - the 1,821 figure. It's average kill rate is less than half of that during the DFO study period. There is no explanation given.

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Sea lion kills happen all over the globe at fish farms. Here is a news article for March 15, 2012:

"Meridian Salmon Group are currently carrying out an investigation into alleged unlawful killing of seals at their site near Burrastow. Two managers are currently under suspension pending a court case on 21 March." This is in the Shetland Islands in Scotland. See: http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/3572-lakeland-swallows-uyeasound-salmon.html.

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Here is a link from the Sunday Herald, Scotland, that details the 2012 seal kills in Scotland: http://www.robedwards.com/2012/09/sites-where-seals-shot-kept-secret-in-fear-of-protest.html. There have been 310 seals killed.

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And to update the figures for Scotland, here is a 2015 article: 'Figures from Scotland show a decline in kills from 459 in 2011 to 433 in 2012, 274 in 2013 and 205 in 2014. [Note: Scientists say that it represents localized extinctions because seals have a 10 km territory and don't move on, so declining numbers means having killed all the seals]  This year the Government has ­authorised the deaths of up to 859 – 662 grey seals and 197 common seals. But campaigners argue none should die and demanded companies invested in nets and acoustic deterrents.'

The reference is: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/outrage-hundreds-seals-secretly-slaughtered-5469847. 

And to update figures for 2016, in Clayoquot Sound, Cermaq killed 15 sea lions in November/December 2015. See: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/marine-mammal-massacre-ends-sea-lions-invasion-of-salmon-pen/article29322349/. 

Seal and sea lion kills in BC and around the world would be 100% eliminated if fish farms were on land.

And in 2016, Cermaq killed another 15 sea lions at a fish farm in Clayoquot Sound:  http://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1014033/DFO-Says-Cermaq-Canada-Was-Within-Rights-to-Cull-Invasive-Sea-Lions-at-Clayoquot-Salmon-Farm.