Submitter: Lynn Erin

Community: Anglemont

Date Submitted: December 20, 2023

Summary:

All farms should be moved off migratory salmon routes immediately. Research should be ongoing and transparent, and DFO’s mandate should be to protect wild fish. The precautionary principle should be used regarding all aspects of the aquaculture industry.

Submission:

Judge Cohen,

I have never been so ashamed of our Federal and Provincial Governments as I have through this past year. Following the Government Lawyers at the Cohen Commission inquiry has been an eye-opening experience, where we witnessed our governments going to multi-million dollar lengths to cover up the truth and discredit anyone trying to find it. I have talked to people in the industry who were worried in the eighties about the effect that the few fish farms were having on local ecosystems. We now know our governments knew ISAv has been in our B.C. waters for over 25 yrs., when the farming began.

On Dec. 07 2011 I received a letter from Minister Keith Ashfield assuring me that there have never been any confirmed cases of ISAv in B.C.

So sad – I suppose that is the truth if the gov’t won’t “confirm” anything, and will not do the neccessary research. You have life-changing decisions and recommendations to make. To be a steward of the earth or a gov’t puppet. I pray in many different ways that you will decide to move all farms off migratory salmon routes immediately, that research be ongoing, intensive, transparent, and obligatory. That DFO’s mandate is to protect wild fish, marine wild life and ocean health. That the Precautionary Principle be put in place regarding all aspects of the aqua culture industry.

I fear for the natural world. The world does not need this sub standard protien which infact will rob the oceans of far more herring than it can produce. Land based farms, make far more sense. Please Judge Cohen…