Due to much activity surrounding the controversial fish farming industry this past week, Minister Cantelon made several statements in his new role as Minister of Agriculture and Lands. I would like to correct his impression that there are no pilot projects of closed containment fish farming existing anywhere in the world today. In fact there are currently three closed containment salmon farming facilities operating in BC alone; a pilot project north of Campbell River and two closed containment salmon farms in the lower mainland that have been selling small amounts of farmed salmon commercially for many years.

The Minister has also stated that government and industry will look to science to prove if closed containment fish farming will be commercially viable in the future. Science has already proven that salmon can be grown in closed containment. The next step is for government and industry to determine how it can be commercially viable as well as environmentally responsible.

Transitioning the open net pen salmon farming industry to closed containment was recommended by the Special Committee of Sustainable Aquaculture two years ago, of which Minister Cantelon was the co-chair; funding for closed containment research has been recommended by the Finance Committee for the upcoming 2009 BC budget; and now the Pacific Salmon Forum report recommends the BC government "design and implement a commercial-scale trial of a closed containment system for raising farmed salmon...to recover wastes and reduce the risk of lice and disease transfer to the natural environment." For the sake of the salmon, let's get on with researching the commercial viability of this technology and transitioning the industry to closed containment as soon as possible.

Michelle Young
Salmon Aquaculture Campaigner
Georgia Strait Alliance