Salmon sceptics can be won over
Jeremy Dunn, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA), told the audience at the assocaition's 30th AGM last week that the general public has a poor understanding of the province’s salmon farming industry, as was evident in a recent survey that identified about 60% of the respondents as being “undecided” about the appropriateness of salmon farms in BC, while some 22% were “strongly supportive" and another 20% were “strongly opposed”. The first category represents an opportunity for public education that can greatly increase the support among the people in BC and elsewhere in Canada, Mr Dunn said.
The BCSFA is developing new tools to use in an initiative which aims to show that salmon farmers actually agree with serious scientists, and that they are an important part of the solution (to maintain healthy stocks of wild salmon). The BC industry is world leading with respect to its environmental management practises, he asserted, and this reality is much different than the often-touted perception.
The BCSFA is also conducting an economic impact study that will include the financial importance of the province’s salmon farming activities and its support services to the economy of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. The BCSFA today has about 40 members from the various segments of the sector, and 16 sponsors supported the AGM.
The BCSFA has a workshop planned for later this fall to identify R&D priorities. The association has also hired an individual to coordinate dedicated research activities.
Like a number of other speakers at the AGM, Mr Dunn acknowledged the importance of the contribution to industry and regulatory development by many individual industry veterans, many of whom are still involved after 30 or more years.
