FNWSA accuses DFO of altering Prime Minister’s mandate
The First Nation Wild Salmon Alliance (FNWSA) is accusing DFO officials of “rewriting” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s mandate to phase out open-net pen salmon farming in BC by 2025.
With the 2025 deadline approaching, there is still no transition plan in sight. Over 120 First Nations from across BC are concerned that DFO officials are steering the transition plan in a direction that would allow ocean-polluting Atlantic salmon farms to continue operating in BC waters beyond 2025.
“What we’re seeing, in all communications from the transition planning process, is they say ‘we’re going to have stronger regulations to incentivize the transition,” says Bob Chamberlin, Chair – FNWSA. “That’s not a transition from – that’s status quo, with new regulations, new oversight and so forth. But it still means open-net pens operating.”
DFO is also considering the extension of federal aquaculture licences for salmon farms in BC by up to six years. There is a deadline of March 8th for commenting on the reissuing of licences.
Let the Prime Minister and Fisheries Minister know it’s time to end the pens. The future of wild Pacific salmon depends on it.