Concerns over sea lice outbreaks and diseases from farmed fish spreading to wild Pacific salmon have already led to the closure of dozens of salmon farms in BC. This past June, the Canadian government announced a ban on open-net pen salmon farming in coastal BC waters by 2029 to protect already declining wild salmon stocks. […]

On June 19, 2024, the federal government announced a ban on open-net pen salmon farms in coastal BC waters by 2029. To support industry through this five-year deadline to transition, the government has now released a draft Salmon Aquaculture Transition Plan for British Columbia. With this draft plan, we want to ensure that protecting wild […]

A long-term whale researcher from Alert Bay has observed a significant rise in the presence of Northern Resident orcas, as well as migrating wild Pacific salmon, this summer compared to previous years. “We saw a few salmon go by the camera each summer,” says Helena Symonds, co-director, OrcaLab. “This year we are seeing school after […]

To reduce potential impacts to wild salmon, the federal government has given open-net salmon farms along the coast five years to transition to closed-containment systems. The Kuterra facility near Port McNeill, BC, owned by the ‘Namgis First Nation, is one potential example of what that could look like. The ‘Namgis First Nation commissioned the facility […]

Open-net pen salmon farms along BC’s coast have been given five years to transition out of the water to land-based systems. The Kuterra land-based farm near Port McNeill, BC, was opened in 2013 by the ‘Namgis First Nation. Its success has proven that this technology can work in BC. “I absolutely believe it’s the way […]

Canada is taking an important step towards the protection of wild Pacific salmon populations by banning ocean-polluting salmon farms in coastal BC waters. This decision comes in response to growing global concerns about the negative impact of salmon farming on wild salmon populations. In BC, open-net pen salmon farms release parasites, pathogens and pollutants threatening […]

On June 19, 2024, the federal government announced an official ban on open-net pen salmon farms in BC, with a transition deadline by 2029, to protect wild Pacific salmon populations. Experts say wild salmon species are under imminent threat from salmon farming, which has led to escapes (including sick fish), a dramatic rise in sea […]

Wild salmon returns continue to strengthen after the removal of ocean-polluting Atlantic salmon farms in the Broughton Archipelago. In 2018, the provincial government signed an agreement with the ‘Namgis, Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis, and Mamalilikulla First Nations—known as the Broughton Archipelago Transition Initiative (BATI)—to shut down salmon farms in their territories to protect wild Pacific salmon. Just […]

BC is the last place on North America’s west coast with ocean-polluting Atlantic salmon farms, often located directly along the migration routes of wild Pacific salmon. Open-net pen salmon farms exploit the marine environment and coastal ecosystem services, causing uneaten fish feed and waste to accumulate on the seabed, while facilitating the spread of diseases […]

With its recent announcement to “ban open-net pen salmon farms by 2029”, the federal government promised new restrictions on the amount of allowable levels of sea lice in farmed salmon. However, measures under the new licensing agreements, which will last until the end of this decade, are still insufficient in strengthening conditions to protect wild […]