Pacific Salmon Forum focusing on Sea Lice
The Pacific Salmon Forum was established by the Premier of B.C. in December, 2004 with a mandate to develop recommendations to protect and enhance the viability of wild salmon and the economic, social and environmental sustainability of aquaculture, as well as to increase public confidence in fiseries management generally, and aquaculture in particular.
Chaired by former Federal Fisheries Minister John Fraser, the Pacific Salmon Forum has a 3 year mandate, supported by $ CAD 5.0 million in funding. Most of this money is being spent looking at the issue of sea lice in the Broughton Archipelago.
"The Broughton" is a hotbed of controversy when it comes to salmon farming in B.C. This is where some of the most vocal environmental groups have focused their attention on salmon aquaculture, largely based on a campaign orchestrated by the local anti-farming activist Alexandra Morton.
The Forum's Annual Report is focused on the development of area-based collaborative dialogue and stewardship trusts in an attempt to bring area resource users together to address areas of concern or conflict relating to fish farming issues.
The Forum also recognizes that the B.C. aquaculture industry is highly regulated, but because of "mixed messages" and past mistakes, there is an insufficient level of public understanding and trust of the regulatory process and farm practices.
