Wild and farmed fish can co-exist
The now famous Cohen Inquiry into the failure of sockeye salmon to return to the Fraser River watershed in 2009 had been staged as an investigation into salmon farming in the Province, with environmental groups hoping to expose the aquaculture industry as the villain that they have stated it to be. But a panel of four highly regarded scientists came to a different conclusion. During a session of cross-examination by Mr. Steve Kelliher, lawyer for the Aboriginal Aquaculture Association on August 28, 2011, the scientists were presented with a suggestion that “...I have a sense that there's agreement that aquaculture can coexist with the continued survival and growth of the wild stocks. Is that your view?” To which the four scientists who had each provided a detailed report to the inquiry about the potential of farmed salmon having a negative effect on wild salmon in B.C. replied;
DR. KORMAN: I guess -- sorry, we can go right to left this time. I mean, I'm more of an evidence-based person, so I haven't seen much in this hearing that suggests a major impact, although I do think there's a lot of things we don't know about and that we should be cautious but that there hasn't been very much evidence to show direct impact. So therefore, the next step to that would be, you know, a modest amount of expansion, should therefore not lead to any major conflicts with wild stocks, based on the evidence we've seen to date. So, yes, I think, is a long-winded answer to you.
Q All right. Dr. Connors? DR. CONNORS: I'd encourage continued examination of the evidence and to move forward cautiously, but I don't think that there's anything to say that if done properly, aquaculture and wild fish populations can't coexist here in B.C.
Q Thank you. Dr. Noakes? DR. NOAKES: I would agree that they can coexist both the wild and the aquaculture industries.
And Dr. Dill?DR. DILL: I would agree. If managed properly, and steps are taken to reduce the interaction between them or the harmful interaction between them, I see no reason why they can't coexist but I do want to broaden our consideration from just Fraser sockeye to other parts of the coast where there are other species and other circumstances and we know in the Broughton there have been some problems. These are being successfully addressed through the coordinated program there which shows that you can improve their situation with goodwill and, of course, funding and proper management.
