In 2011 the Canadian government ordered a moratorium on all new fish farm expansions in BC that “would result in a significant increase in environmental footprint” while the Cohen Commission into the Decline of Fraser River Sockeye was in progress. But last fall, a year after the Cohen Commission reported, the federal government very quietly lifted the ban in all BC locations except the Discovery Islands, which are directly on the migratory route of Fraser sockeye. You can read the full story here.
FOCS has confirmed that, to date, none of the resulting applications for salmon farm expansion are in Clayoquot Sound. That is, no new farm sites, or expansion of existing sites, and no increases in tonnage of farmed salmon production have been requested or granted for our area.
However, existing salmon farm tenures are being renewed and granted long- term leases in Clayoquot Sound’s ocean waters. Most recently, three of Creative Salmon’s site tenures (Baxter, Eagle Bay, Indian Bay) that expired Dec. 31 were renewed for the maximum 20 years, until 2033.
One site renewal is still under review and another is coming up. Keeping track of renewals and other applications, we look for opportunities to mitigate the damaging impacts of salmon farms.
