CWF Applauds B.C. Supreme Court Ruling

The Canadian Wildlife Federation applauds the recent ruling by the B.C Supreme Court that fish farms be regulated by the federal government.

Thanks to this ruling, fish inside the farm are now considered a fishery, not agriculture. Therefore the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) now has the legal responsibility to regulate salmon farms.

The provincial management of salmon farms has been responsible for the location of the farms, which are often placed on wild salmon migration routes. Interactions between escaped farmed fish and wild salmon have neither been completely characterized nor have the cumulative impacts of aquaculture been identified. However, it has negatively impacted the environment, leading to pollution, disease, and habitat loss.

“Wild salmon are important to both the marine environment and represent a vital component of coastal and inland ecosystems,” says Leigh Edgar, Conservation Researcher with the Canadian Wildlife Federation. “Having one regulatory body will provide both clarity and accountability for the environmental ramifications of fish farming.”

CWF still urges the DFO to conduct research relating to deleterious substances and the protection of fish habitat as per the Fisheries Act. “This is a step in the right direction,” says Edgar “And we will continue to encourage the DFO to take a closer look into closed containment technologies.”

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About Canadian Wildlife Federation

CWF is dedicated to fostering awareness and appreciation of our natural world. By spreading knowledge of human impacts on the environment, sponsoring research, promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, recommending legislative changes, and cooperating with like-minded partners, CWF encourages a future in which Canadians may live in harmony with nature.

Contacts

Louise Hanlon
Canadian Wildlife Federation
(613) 599-9594
louiseh@cwf-fcf.org