Submitter: Jaimie Parton

Community: Vancouver

Date Submitted: September 25, 2023

Summary:

The evidence indicates that wild and open-net farmed salmon cannot co-exist in our coastal waters, and based on both economics and environment wild salmon are the obvious priority.

Submission:

I am very opposed to the operation of open-net salmon farms, especially in coastal BC waters near the migration routes of wild salmon. The coastal people of BC have been so fortunate to have had access to wild salmon, which have historically provided a food source, as well as jobs through commercial fishing and tourism; it infuriates me that our government is allowing foreign corporations to put all of that at risk. As a scientifically educated resident of BC who was raised in a commercial fishing family, put myself through university by working at sports fishing resorts, and has closely followed the science behind the issue of open-net salmon farms in our coastal BC waters, I feel confident in my understanding of the issue at hand. Although some conflicting data exists, there is so much scientific and historical evidence (i.e.: Norway, Ireland, Scotland, Chile) suggesting that open-net salmon farms are infecting our wild salmon with parasites and disease, not to mention contaminating our natural ecosystems. The evidence indicates that wild and open-net farmed salmon cannot co-exist in our coastal waters, and based on both economics and environment wild salmon are the obvious priority. It appals me that our government was so foolish to allow SO MANY farms into BC waters, in spite of the warnings received from previously impacted countries – whatever happened to the principle of precaution?! It sickens me even further to have them ignore evidence, pledge allegiance to the foreign corporations, and ignore the pleas of the voters they are SUPPOSED TO represent, in the face of such danger to our wild salmon stocks. Wild salmon have enough challenges to their existence from rising ocean temperatures, increasing levels of ocean pollution, over-fishing, and destruction of spawning grounds, without adding in the disease and parasites spread by salmon farms – as we are seeing, the current burden is too great; we have made the very survival of wild salmon virtually impossible. I don’t care if the farms close down all together or move to land; I just want my children to grow up eating wild salmon, and to the best of my knowledge, the only way that may happen is if open-net salmon farms are removed from our coastal waters.