MLA's provide background into committee deliberations

The Daily News completed its comprehensive coverage into the Fish Farming report on Thursday, with a Question and Answer session with the North Coast’s MLA, Gary Coons.

As well, from the front page they review the details from the chairman of the committee, Robin Austin of Skeena, who says that eventually the Liberals will come around to understanding “the will of the people”.

A process which may take a bit longer than he thinks, judging by the remarks of Pat Bell the Liberal Agriculture Minister.

Fish farm report reflects public opinion says MLA
The Daily News
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Page Two

Daily News reporter Leanne Ritchie interviewed North Coast MLA Gary Coons about his support of the sustainable Aquaculture Committee’s final report that was released yesterday and about the impact of suggestion that there be no farms north of Cape Caution. Here’s what he had to say.

Question: The report recommends no new farms north of Cape Caution (the tip of Vancouver Island), how do you explain your support of this report to the Chief and Council in Kitkatla who are working with Marine Harvest to develop sites and job opportunities for their village?

Coons: I believe British Columbians spoke. We had 18 months of intensive input and heard from hundreds of witnesses and had thousands of pieces of evidence reading material. On the North Coast, it was heard loud and clear that there are concerns about open net technology and there needs to be a swing toward protecting wild salmon and the marine environment and this is going to be a fair and balanced approach to it.

Question: How would you respond to the concern that opposing development in Kitkatla's traditional territory is a violation of Kitkatla's aboriginal rights and title?

Coons: I would say that's something that needs to be sorted out with First Nations in the region. Traditionally, with the sharing, there is a concern with the wild stocks going through their territory and I believe until we have First Nations consolidation on the issue that this is a safe approach. We have heard loud and clear from the majority of British Columbians that wild stocks are of number one importance.

Question: If Kitkatla's neighbours don't want open net fish farms and there needs to be more science done before development occurs, do you have any suggestions for Kitkatla for how they solve their currently unemployment problem?

Coons: Our report recommends the expansion of shellfish aquaculture to help many First Nations in coastal communities to hopefully drive economic development up and move forward in that area. We hope government will support that and put in the necessary testing areas and the initiatives to proactively go towards shellfish in lieu of open net fish farms until we have ocean-based closed containment at a point where we can incorporate it in the waters.

Question: The Kitasoo and Marine Harvest need the approval of new sites on the Central Coast to continue with their current level of production and let fallow the sites they already have. Does this report allow them to pursue those new sites and keep that industry going?

Coons: I would say that the existing Klemtu sites will be grandfathered, so they will be keeping what they have now at the current density but again we heard so much controversy in that region that we recommended the sites be grandfathered subject to negotiations with First Nations in the area and Marine Harvest. We honestly believe the CAAR Marine Harvest relationship is one that needs be fostered and built open.

(This agreement was signed by Marine Harvest Canada and the nine member groups of the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform CAAR including coastal First Nations in the Campbell River area in 2006. It sets up a "Framework for Dialogue" that will foster collaborative efforts toward solving the conflicts surrounding open net-cage salmon farming.)

We believe the industry does want to move forward with sustainable aquaculture and they realize there is a need to move forward in ocean-based closed containment and look at this issue. This is a report that will hopefully cover everybody's concerns.

Question: The report acknowledges there is no consensus from the scientific community on the impact of open net pen technology on wild salmon, yet the report expressed concern for the decline in wild salmon stocks and calls for action in regards to fish farms. Why if there is no consensus on the scientific evidence open net farms impact wild salmon, do you support the report's call for action?

Coons: In the amount of research I did personally and the information that was presented to us, what I kept hearing about were the knowledge gaps, the lack of science as far as sea lice, the interaction between wild and farmed salmon, escapes and all about environmental impacts. I think what we need to do is ensure the science is right and there is a consensus both between aquaculture associations and advocates for wild salmon. I honestly believe, as does the Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council, that the moratorium was lifted prematurely by the Liberals in 2002, without the adequate science and regulations put in place to protect our wild stocks.

Question: Liberal MLA and deputy chair Ron Cantelon said that the report reflects the compelling politics heard during the public hearings, not compelling scientific evidence. Can you defend the report from that statement?

Coons: The Liberals on the committee chose not to support the report and we should not be surprised. I believe they have been too close to the industry for too long. We all must remember that one cabinet minister resigned after handing out inside information and in the last month or so we learned the B.C. Liberals paid fake protesters to show up at fish farm rallies. I believe they would see it as playing politics but we see it as trying to maintain a health sustainable aquaculture industry, but especially protect our wild stocks.

Question: Does the province have a larger role to play managing wild salmon stocks?

Coons: I believe the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has dropped the ball in a lot of situations, especially in the use of the precautionary principal and there is no explicit commitment to the protection of salmon habitat. DFO, I believe, willingly sacrifices habitat on behalf of the aquaculture industry. They put the pursuit of aquaculture and the pursuit of maintaining wild stocks on equal footing. The report recommends we use more stringent policy as far as the precautionary principle.

‘Public opinion is behind call for caution’
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Page One

The chair of the province's sustainable aquaculture committee believes that the Liberal government will come around and support both a moratorium for the North Coast and Central Coast and back a move to ocean-based closed containment.

Speaking from Victoria yesterday, Skeena MLA Robin Austin said that despite the four Liberal committee members choosing not to support the report, while the five NDP members did, the report reflects the will of the public.

"Once British Columbians have read this report and the recommendations, provided they think it is the right thing to do, they'll put pressure on the government to do what's right," said Austin.
"In regards to recommendation on the North Coast, there was more or less unanimity. We went from Kitkatla all the way in to Smithers and nobody wanted fish farms. I can't imagine the Liberals do not want to respect the wishes of all the communities, all the people along the Skeena River who came out to talk to us."

Northwest B.C. First Nations were in Victoria yesterday urging Gordon Campbell to heed the Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture's recommendation against fish farms in B.C.'s northern waters.

Eugene Bryant with the Allied Tsimshian Tribes of Lax Kw'alaams says Minister of Agriculture and Lands Pat Bell's comment that he will not be bound by the committee's recommendations betrays the hundreds of people who testified before the committee.

"Our people have said loudly and clearly that fish farms are not acceptable," said Eugene Bryant. "Allowing fish farms to expand northward despite the risks will demonstrate that this government would rather prolong the conflict than work towards lasting solutions."

A 2005 study by IBM Business Consulting estimated that wild salmon contribute $110 million to the annual economy of the Skeena watershed.

"We already have a rich wild salmon economy on the North Coast," said Bryant. "Jeopardizing this significant economy by introducing fish farms makes no business sense whatsoever."
The delegation asserts that fish farms would exacerbate other threats facing northern salmon stocks, including climate change, habitat loss and stock mismanagement.

Austin said Bell has already declared a mini moratorium on new fish farm site approvals.
"Bell has said between now and June the 12, he will not allow any new fish farm approvals to go through. He wants to take a look at it ... and decide which parts he supports and which parts he doesn't," said Austin.

While there are currently no salmon farms on the North Coast, the Kitasoo and their partner Marine Harvest are seeking an expansion of their sites in the Central Coast and the Kitkatla First Nation is working with Marine Harvest to bring aquaculture development in their traditional territory.