Mayor issues ringing endorsement for aquaculture
All of the three largest salmon farming companies in British Columbia have their Head Offices in Campbell River, so it’s perhaps no surprise when the newly elected city mayor Andy Adams said at last week’s inaugural council meeting that he wants the city to get behind the industry. But in fact, there has not been very many mayors of this city that have openly and publicly expressed their unequivocal support for, and their appreciation of, the economic and social benefits that the industry brings to the city of Campbell River and the surrounding communities on Vancouver Island. According to the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association - which has also had its Head Office here for many years - the industry is responsible for the maintenance of some 6,000 full-time equivalent year-round jobs - many of which are located in coastal communities where other opportunities for steady employment are few and far between.
Earlier this year, the federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Ms. Gail Shea, said that her government stood solidly behind the industry: “With the global demand for seafood expected to increase by 7% every year, it’s clear that aquaculture has great economic potential. Our Government supports aquaculture development that is both economically sound and environmentally responsible. Canada has a transparent regulatory system – one of the most rigorous in the world – to ensure that the industry is ecologically sustainable and protects our marine resources”.
And while the British Columbia government has been largely silent on the file since a lawsuit launched by an anti-salmon farming activist resulted in the transfer of regulatory responsibility for aquaculture being transferred to DFO, provincial agencies are now seen as holding back industry expansion due to the delay in approving tenures for new sites- a responsibility that still remains with the Provincial government.
Meanwhile, according to an article in the Campbell River Mirror, the new Campbell River Mayor wants to turn council's attention to aquaculture;
“We’re the centre for the aquaculture industry in British Columbia,” Adams said. “I will ask council to support Executive Director Jeremy Dunn and the BC Salmon Farmers’ Association and other aquaculture industries.” But Adams was quick to point out that it needs to be a multi-pronged approach. He said council will need to “work with First Nations, provincial and federal governments to ensure this industry can grow in a sustainable and environmentally respectful manner, providing jobs and economic stability for families in (the) community.”
Adams noted that a strong, vibrant aquaculture industry could have a positive trickle-down effect. He said that institutions such as North Island College and the B.C. Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences would have the opportunity “to provide programs that expand the trades and skill sets in our students and make a significant difference in our community.”
