Fish stories troll two sides of the fish farm issue on Tuesday

The Daily News dropped a line into the fishing industry waters on Tuesday with two stories dealing with the fish farm industry.

The first a look at some of the damage control that the Fish Farm industry is working on to combat some of the negativity that has come out over recent reports on the perceived dangers that the industry poses to the wild stocks and commercial industry.

The second story focused on the outrage of commercial fishermen over comments from the Liberal MLA for Nanaimo-Parksville. Ron Cantelon recently suggested that the commercial harvest of wild salmon should stop and that the province should become more of an agent for change towards the farm fish side of the debate.

Needless to say, the words were sharp and quick to the delivery regarding Mr. Cantelon's trial balloon, the Daily news featured both tales of the seas in Tuesday's edition.


Fish farm firm shares its message
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Page One

British Columbia's largest aquaculture company Marine Harvest Canada is doing all it can to deflect the negative connotations associated with salmon farming, including taking out full-page newspaper ads.

The company took out full-page advertisements in Thursday's North Island Gazette and yesterday's Victoria Times-Colonist, aimed at updating the public on what it says is its success in minimizing the number of sea lice on its farmed fish in the Broughton Archipelago area during the current out-migration of wild juvenile salmon.

The ads state that the company understands the public concern for wild juvenile salmon, and has therefore taken action to reduce or eliminate the potential for sea lice transfers from their farms.
"Although we recognize that the state of scientific knowledge is inconclusive about the threat of sea lice to wild salmon, we maintain that conservation is the best policy," states the ad.
"Therefore, we would like to update you on the results of specific management plans that help ensure our salmon farms are not adding to the multitude of threats already posed to young, juvenile salmon."

The ad shows that four of the company's Broughton farm sites are now empty, and that six other farms in the area currently show sea lice levels of no more than 0.2 lice per farmed fish, falling under the provincial government's threshold limit of three lice per fish. The ad also states that, through monthly monitoring, Marine Harvest Canada ensures the number of sea lice per fish does not reach the threshold limit during out-migration months.

"These data have been available on our website since 2004," said Clare Backman, director of environmental compliance and community relations.

"We monitor for sea lice levels diligently and we manage our operations closely to ensure that our fish do not add to the many other threats that young wild salmon face."

The ad also explains that farmed salmon spend their first year in freshwater hatcheries and are free of sea lice when they enter saltwater farms, and that sea lice may be passed from wild sources to farmed salmon. The ad states if salmon on the farm are too small for harvest and sea lice are approaching threshold levels during the out-migration months, fish may be treated with veterinarian prescribed Slice, provided in feed to effectively kill the lice.

"This is the second ad we have run updating the public on our sea lice management plan since the out-migration began in March. It is part of our commitment to being open with those interested in our business, about what we are doing and what results we are attaining," said Backman. "We do not pretend to have all the answers, but we are committed to reviewing and supporting science and improving our practices so that we minimize risk to our salmon and wild stocks."

MLA is under fire from B.C. salmon fishermen
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Pages one and three

Liberal MLA for Nanaimo-Parksville Ron Cantelon has landed himself in some 'salty' water over his recent statement that British Columbia's commercial salmon fishery should be abandoned.
Cantelon recently told a reporter that essentially the commercial fishing of wild salmon should stop and the province should do more to promote fish farming, a comment the MLA is standing behind - claiming he was trying to suggest a greater balance is needed between utilizing wild salmon stocks and harvesting farmed salmon.

Last week, the provincial government refused to renounce Cantelon's statement, after New Democrat MLA Scott Fraser challenged Agriculture Minister Pat Bell by asking if it was "his government's policy or plan to bring an end to the commercial fishery in favour of fish farms?"
Bell didn't directly answer the question, saying that fisheries licencing is the responsibility of the federal government, and refused to denounce Cantelon's earlier comments.

North Coast MLA Gary Coons was one of many people shocked and dismayed by the government's position on the issue, as his constituency contains one of the province's important commercial fisheries.

"It is completely unacceptable for this government to pretend that the problems being caused by fish farms are somehow attributed to the commercial fishery," said Coons. "This is a whole new level of dishonesty."

Last May the NDP-dominated Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture put forth a number of recommendations for the government to consider, one of which was a moratorium for fish farms on B.C.'s North Coast, recently enacted by Minister Bell and representing the first time the province has formally responded to any of the committee's recommendations.

Cantelon was deputy chair of the SCSA, and in addition to his comments about the commercial fishery, he also said that the moratorium on fish farms on the North Coast is likely the only recommendation of the committee that will be implemented.

"As a member of the Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture, I can affirm that we put a tremendous amount of effort, research and thought into the recommendations that made it into the final report," said Coons.

"We made 55 recommendations, and the government has thus far implemented half of one recommendation. I don't think anyone would think that is reasonable."

When reporters questioned Cantelon about his comments, he initially suggested he was misquoted, but later stood by his comments as published by the Parksville Qualicum Beach News.

"When I first heard his comments, I checked the date," said Coons. "It was April 1, but it was no joke.

"Cantelon's comments make it clear that the Liberal government would rather let wild salmon go extinct that interfere with their fish-farming antics. They are prepared to ask every commercial fisherman and guide outfitter in the province to give up their livelihoods so that their misguided policies can proceed."