Submitter: Lower Shuswap Stewardship Society

Community: Enderby

Date Submitted: October 25, 2023

Summary:

The Lower Shuswap Stewardship Society requests that the Commissioner be given complete health and disease data for all salmon farms since the decline of Fraser sockeye began. Without a full data set, the commission’s investigation will be flawed and incomplete.

Submission:

The Lower Shuswap River saw two million sockeye return this year. This river system also supports 4 other salmon species. This year’s return demonstrates what is possible.



We are concerned about the declining numbers over the past 10 – 20 years.



Our returning fish must swim past intense aquaculture developments during their migrations to and return from their feeding grounds.



What is the effect of aquaculture on our returns? Are fish farm diseases and parasites being transferred to wild salmon?



Our group requests that Judge Cohen be given complete health and disease data for all salmon farms since this decline began. Without a full data set all investigation will be flawed and incomplete.



We support Judge Cohen in conducting a thorough, unbiased study of the declining salmon stocks.