Submitter: Priscilla Judd

Community: Lumby

Date Submitted: January 23, 2024

Summary:

The Veta la Palma fish farm in Spain is a perfect business model for a sustainable planet and should be emulated in BC, particularly in wetland areas such as the Shuswap River. The commission should try to convince DFO to help land owners develop these kinds of fish farms, and to prohibit BC’s exiting fish farm monocultures.

Submission:

Below is a link to a natural fish farm located in an estuary in Spain.



Veta la Palma Estate at Isla Mayor, municipality of Puebla del Rio near Sevilla, Spain. PIMSA is part of Grupo Hisparroz, a leading rice production company.



It produces tons of saleable fish and increases the natural diversity of the environment. This farm is a perfect buisness model for a sustanable planet.



This fish farm wetland produces tons of good food, creates bird habitat, cleans polluted water, employs people and creates a local economy. What more can we want?



Current BC fish farm monocultures (as with any monoculture) are unsustainable. They harm nature and although the farms make profit for shareholders – the cost to others should prohibit them.



There are areas in BC where these sorts of fish farms can be developed. For instance:

On the Shuswap River several areas of wetland property could become local fish farms but DFO denies their validity and prevents the land owner from developing a commercial fish farm in a natural wetland.



I can provide more details if necessary but I hope the Commission can convince DFO tht it is in the interest of helping land owners develop a fish farms such as illustrated in the enclosed links.



http://www.wildish.eu/tag/fish-farm/



http://www.ecoagriculture.org/case_study.php?id=77