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British Columbia: Greenpeace Leads International Fish Farm Protest In Broughton Archipelago |
| July 12, 2004 |
Source: Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre
 | Environmentalists are concerned that waste and escapes from some fish farms are harming wild fish populations.
Photo: Paul Malcolm |
Greenpeace activists and First Nations representatives from Canada and Alaska led a flotilla of protest boats through British Columbia’s Broughton Archipelago on Saturday, demanding an end to the expansion of open net-pen fish farms on the West Coast.
The protest was fuelled by the recent approval of 47 licenses for B.C. fish farmers to expand their operations beyond salmon and shellfish. Among the applications approved were 22 sablefish licenses, 7 halibut licenses and 18 license amendments permitting existing salmon farms to add sablefish to their license.
“Alaska stands resolutely opposed to fish farm operations, while British Columbia is expanding aquaculture toward Alaska, a reckless move that heedlessly threatens wild salmon stocks in both countries,” said Jeremy Paster of Greenpeace U.S.
During the protest, activists laid a 20-metre floating banner with the message “Keep It Wild - No Fish Farms” next to fish farm pens in the Broughton Archipelago.
The Broughton Archipelago, referred to by Greenpeace as one of the most besieged and concentrated areas of fish farms in the world, has been the scene of at least one ecological disaster. In 2002, large numbers of wild pink salmon appear to have died after contracting sea lice from fish farms in the area. According to the Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council, a reputable fisheries advisory group, this event was significant as one of the most synchronous sets of collapses of a fishery in B.C.’s history.
Unfortunately, that piece of history may be getting ready to repeat itself. At the end of April of this year, juvenile pink salmon were observed to be carrying even higher numbers of sea lice than the 2002 episode. Many of these small fish had more than 60 lice on them.
“What’s happening in the Broughton – the eradication of a major wild salmon run - is bound to happen on the north coast toward Alaska where the BC and federal governments are now expanding fish farms,” said Catherine Stewart, Greenpeace Canada’s West Coast campaigner. “Canada’s agenda of fish farm expansion is completely disregarding the lifeblood of the entire West Coast: the wild salmon.”
Leaders of the Musgamagw-Tsawataineuk Tribal Council are demanding the removal of all open net-cage fish farms in their traditional territories in and around the Broughton.
Official applications have been made for three fish farm sites on B.C.’s north coast. One site near the Alaskan border at Anger Anchorage has been approved. The others sites, located at Petrel Point and Azimuth Island, are pending review by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
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