An agreement between three B.C. First Nations and the provincial government will see the closure of at least 10 of the 17 ocean-based salmon farms in the Broughton Archipelago by the end of 2022.
The move is intended to create a “farm-free migration corridor” for wild salmon through the waters off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.
Ten farms will be phased out during the next three years under the supervision of a First Nations-led monitoring program. Several of those farms will be decommissioned immediately.
The seven remaining farms will close unless fish farming firms can come to an agreement with the Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis, ‘Namgis and Mamalilikulla First Nations and maintain licenses from Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
In announcing the plan, Premier John Horgan left the door open to increasing fish farm production in B.C. waters under the right conditions, which was echoed by federal Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson.
Randy Shore – Vancouver Sun – December 14, 2018.