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Broughton Archipelago businesses meet Provincial Minister in Victoria to demand assistance for sea lice problem
Wednesday, February 20th 2008 2:54:04pm
Media Release – For Immediate Release
Broughton Archipelago businesses meet Provincial Minister in Victoria to demand assistance for sea lice problem
Community demands action to protect at-risk runs of young salmon from sea lice at open net-cage farms
Port McNeill, BC, February 20, 2008 – A delegation of North Island businesses, residents and First Nations representatives met with the BC Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Pat Bell today in Victoria. They delivered a stark message: move fish farms away from the migration routes of young wild salmon, or we will move the smolts ourselves.
Recent scientific reports confirm that salmon farms are producing sea lice concentrations that are devastating to migrating juvenile salmon and that Pink salmon runs could be exterminated in four years if action to save wild stocks is not taken immediately.
“Wilderness Tourism pours $1.6 billion dollars into the BC economy annually,” said delegation member Brian Gunn of the Wilderness Tourism Association. “We believe the BC Government is being reckless, risking BC’s wild salmon populations and BC’s lucrative $1.6 billion dollar tourism industry. The BC tourism industry relies on healthy wild salmon populations to sustain their businesses, whether they are fishing lodges or wildlife viewing operations.”
Broughton area lodge owner Chris Bennett, one of the first to notice the sea louse epidemic informed Minister Bell of the seriousness of the issue, “In our area, salmon populations are in serious decline, and we have been waiting for years for the situation to get better. But generally it has just gotten worse. He needs to act now.”
“My people need wild salmon to survive,” said Bob Chamberlin, elected Chief of Broughton kwicksutaineuk ah-kwa-mish. “Our fates are intertwined. We consider tourism an industry with important promise for our economy. What do we think will be left if the wild salmon are killed and disappear? Nothing that people will want to see.”
Salmon researcher Alexandra Morton has studied salmon farms for years. “We know removing fish farms can save young wild salmon. To date, the only thing that has worked to reduce lice and help wild salmon numbers rebound is when the Province ordered the Fife-Tribune migration route cleared of fish farms. The province must take similar action now. We need fewer farms, not bigger farms.”
Morton also pointed out that there are 22 fish farm leases that have expired in the Broughton Archipelago area and are up for renewal. Many of these companies are applying to the BC government to increase their farm size, which Morton’s research confirms will create more lice and fewer wild salmon.
Members of Broughton community are also preparing to take “run-specific actions”. They have applied to the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) for permits to capture young wild salmon from the Ahta River and move them beyond the last fish farm.
They have also launched a campaign (www.adopt-a-fry.org) asking people to adopt one salmon fry for $20 to fund actions to save the Ahta salmon run.
“The time for talk is over, it is time to bring action to this situation,” said Alexandra Morton. “The science is done; we have seen the impacts first hand. We must not be sidetracked by the Pacific Salmon Forum. A wild salmon cannot compromise or negotiate, they can only live or die. We have just come from asking the Minister for assistance, we hope he is with us to help to protect the BC wild salmon.
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For more information:
Alexandra Morton, 250-949-1664, cell: 250-974-7086
Chief Bob Chamberlin, cell: 250-974-8282
Bill and Donna Mackay, 250-949-0742
Chris Bennett, 250-949-0365
Key facts about salmon farming on the Broughton Archipelago
• 1987 fish farms appeared in the Broughton Archipelago with 125,000 fish per farm.
• 1991, devastating bacterial epidemics on fish farms and appeared in the local Coho hatchery.
• In 1993, acoustic harassment devices thought to repel seals drove the resident orca out permanently.
• 1997, algae blooms of toxic - heterosigma and Noctiluca that thrive on fecal waste began staining the area red and brilliant orange.
• 2000, local commercial fishermen caught 10,826 (escaped) Atlantic salmon.
• 2001, the sea lice epidemics began. (see attached young salmon with sea lice photo)
• 2002/3 IHN infected farm smolts went into the Broughton, and the virus spread farm to farm just as the Kingcome herring were arriving to spawn.
• Local people have seen and heard about enormous schools of black cod and herring trapped in the nets and killed as the farm fish are harvested.
• Everyone is concerned about the impact of brilliant night-lights drawing all marine species to the pens.
• Marine mammals are drowning in the nets. (see attached sea lion photo)
Broughton Archipelago businesses meet Provincial Minister in Victoria to demand assistance for sea lice problem
Community demands action to protect at-risk runs of young salmon from sea lice at open net-cage farms
Port McNeill, BC, February 20, 2008 – A delegation of North Island businesses, residents and First Nations representatives met with the BC Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Pat Bell today in Victoria. They delivered a stark message: move fish farms away from the migration routes of young wild salmon, or we will move the smolts ourselves.
Recent scientific reports confirm that salmon farms are producing sea lice concentrations that are devastating to migrating juvenile salmon and that Pink salmon runs could be exterminated in four years if action to save wild stocks is not taken immediately.
“Wilderness Tourism pours $1.6 billion dollars into the BC economy annually,” said delegation member Brian Gunn of the Wilderness Tourism Association. “We believe the BC Government is being reckless, risking BC’s wild salmon populations and BC’s lucrative $1.6 billion dollar tourism industry. The BC tourism industry relies on healthy wild salmon populations to sustain their businesses, whether they are fishing lodges or wildlife viewing operations.”
Broughton area lodge owner Chris Bennett, one of the first to notice the sea louse epidemic informed Minister Bell of the seriousness of the issue, “In our area, salmon populations are in serious decline, and we have been waiting for years for the situation to get better. But generally it has just gotten worse. He needs to act now.”
“My people need wild salmon to survive,” said Bob Chamberlin, elected Chief of Broughton kwicksutaineuk ah-kwa-mish. “Our fates are intertwined. We consider tourism an industry with important promise for our economy. What do we think will be left if the wild salmon are killed and disappear? Nothing that people will want to see.”
Salmon researcher Alexandra Morton has studied salmon farms for years. “We know removing fish farms can save young wild salmon. To date, the only thing that has worked to reduce lice and help wild salmon numbers rebound is when the Province ordered the Fife-Tribune migration route cleared of fish farms. The province must take similar action now. We need fewer farms, not bigger farms.”
Morton also pointed out that there are 22 fish farm leases that have expired in the Broughton Archipelago area and are up for renewal. Many of these companies are applying to the BC government to increase their farm size, which Morton’s research confirms will create more lice and fewer wild salmon.
Members of Broughton community are also preparing to take “run-specific actions”. They have applied to the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) for permits to capture young wild salmon from the Ahta River and move them beyond the last fish farm.
They have also launched a campaign (www.adopt-a-fry.org) asking people to adopt one salmon fry for $20 to fund actions to save the Ahta salmon run.
“The time for talk is over, it is time to bring action to this situation,” said Alexandra Morton. “The science is done; we have seen the impacts first hand. We must not be sidetracked by the Pacific Salmon Forum. A wild salmon cannot compromise or negotiate, they can only live or die. We have just come from asking the Minister for assistance, we hope he is with us to help to protect the BC wild salmon.
-30-
For more information:
Alexandra Morton, 250-949-1664, cell: 250-974-7086
Chief Bob Chamberlin, cell: 250-974-8282
Bill and Donna Mackay, 250-949-0742
Chris Bennett, 250-949-0365
Key facts about salmon farming on the Broughton Archipelago
• 1987 fish farms appeared in the Broughton Archipelago with 125,000 fish per farm.
• 1991, devastating bacterial epidemics on fish farms and appeared in the local Coho hatchery.
• In 1993, acoustic harassment devices thought to repel seals drove the resident orca out permanently.
• 1997, algae blooms of toxic - heterosigma and Noctiluca that thrive on fecal waste began staining the area red and brilliant orange.
• 2000, local commercial fishermen caught 10,826 (escaped) Atlantic salmon.
• 2001, the sea lice epidemics began. (see attached young salmon with sea lice photo)
• 2002/3 IHN infected farm smolts went into the Broughton, and the virus spread farm to farm just as the Kingcome herring were arriving to spawn.
• Local people have seen and heard about enormous schools of black cod and herring trapped in the nets and killed as the farm fish are harvested.
• Everyone is concerned about the impact of brilliant night-lights drawing all marine species to the pens.
• Marine mammals are drowning in the nets. (see attached sea lion photo)
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