Salmon farming company answers critics
Opinion
Most insiders of the salmon farming industry in Canada (and elsewhere where there is wild salmon) know that staff working in the industry generally care deeply about the wellbeing of not only their own fish, but also about the health of wild salmon stocks. There are ample examples of individuals and salmon farming companies being actively involved with and supporting wild salmon enhancement efforts. Thousands of dollars are provided for this cause annually by the salmon farmers in both British Columbia and on Canada`s East Coast. So it is frustrating when the industry is being attacked by ignorant individuals and environmental groups that have their own righteous agenda and blinders prohibiting them from seeing the facts. But it is encouraging when the industry steps up and corrects the misunderstandings and misinformation, which was the case in Nova Scotia this week, when Cooke Aquaculture`s VP of Communications Nell Halse spoke with reporter Kelly Brooks of The Queens County Advance, from which the following segments are quoted;
Open-pen fish farming has been a controversial issue in various areas of Nova Scotia over the past few years, but Cooke Aquaculture stresses they too have an interest in keeping the environment healthy.
Recent protesting efforts against Cooke Aquaculture’s fish farm change from trout to salmon have brought forward the company’s concern that the community doesn’t understand how they work. Two weeks ago Cooke Aquaculture sent trucks to transport young salmon from Port Medway harbour to the farm off Coffin Island. President of the Medway River Salmon Association Darrell Tingley, and some other members of the association, arrived at the wharf to protest Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25. Although there was an issue with Tingley trying to physically disrupt the truck, vice president of Cooke Aquaculture communications Nell Halse says the other gentlemen at the wharf were respectful of the process. Many actually stayed behind and were interested to hear more about Cooke's operations; what they were doing and why. "The manager was able to show them how we move fish out of a truck," says Halse. "Those fish are taken directly to the farm and pumped directly into the cages, there is no opportunity for losing fish in the transportation itself."
Halse says the process of transporting the fish is done safely and carefully, and the farms are also preventative of losing fish. In fact, Cooke Aquaculture has not had an incident of fish escape from one of their farms for more than six years. "We've not had incidents since 2005 in salmon escaping from one of our farms," she says. "Even before there were reporting requirements, we voluntarily reported whenever we did have an incident. The Atlantic Salmon Federation and various conservation groups can certainly testify to that, that we've been very upfront in sharing information."
Thousands of people involved with Cooke Aquaculture have a long history of fishing in their background, whether they were fishermen themselves or they grew up in a fishing community. Halse says these are people who are not going to support a business that will destroy their marine heritage. Halse says Cooke has a lot of expertise that can go towards helping conservation, and extend their offer to the Nova Scotia Salmon Council. Just like they have done in New Brunswick, Cooke would like to discuss and identify ways they can help.`
With regard to the Medway River Salmon Association, Halse says Cooke Aquaculture would like to sit down speak with them not only to try and understand what their concerns are, but to have the opportunity to explain and show how Cooke is addressing those concerns. "How we are containing our fish, how we are keeping them healthy, how we are using local stocks," says Halse. "And is there a way we can help them with their projects to return the wild salmon to the rivers. We understand that our industry is always going to be under intense scrutiny because we're working in the ocean which is a public resource, but we do have licenses and permits to farm. We want to be able to go about our business, but do it responsibly with the support of the community."
Halse also says talking to the concerned public is also something the company would like to do. They have concerns about wild salmon, they have concerns about the environment, and they are important and legitimate concerns," says Halse.
