This election, help B.C. get salmon farms out of the water.
Many B.C. salmon runs are declining rapidly. Out-of-control sea lice on fish farms threaten migrating juvenile salmon, putting salmon runs at even greater risk. These wild salmon need your voice to get protection.
Tell the provincial party leaders to commit to getting open net-pen fish farms out of B.C. waters.
The science is clear: Sea lice and disease from open net-pen salmon farms threaten the survival of wild salmon in British Columbia. The aquaculture industry’s own data show that 37 per cent of salmon farms in B.C. exceeded the sea lice limit during the critical outmigration period this year. They are posing an unacceptable risk to juvenile salmon.
All parties can play a critical role in decisions surrounding open net-pen fish farms during the next legislative session. With the B.C. election underway, provincial party leaders need to commit to immediately cancelling all existing tenures for open net-pen salmon farms in the Discovery Islands — a critical salmon migration route — and banning open net-pen aquaculture from B.C. waters completely by January 1, 2025.
B.C. coastal communities, First Nations, fishing guides, fishermen and citizens are already making considerable sacrifices to help protect struggling wild salmon populations. It makes no sense to use public waters for activities that put the salmon the province hopes to recover at risk.
Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California have already banned this harmful practice from Pacific coastal waters. It’s time for B.C. to follow suit and protect our iconic salmon.
This election, stand up for wild salmon. Send a message telling B.C. party leaders to commit to getting open net-pen salmon farms out of B.C. coastal waters.