Brian Kingzett, executive director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association © BCSFA
Following delays to the release of a transition framework for the phase-out of cage salmonid farming in British Columbia, salmon producers in the region have expressed their concern and disappointment with the government’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
No new release date for the framework has been given, although license holders have been told it may not be available until September 2024. This follows the announcement earlier this year that current license holders will be granted a final five-year license renewal as net-pen farming is phased out in the region.
“The rural coastal communities and employees who rely on salmon farming have been in a constant state of uncertainty since 2019 when the transition commitment was first announced,” said Brian Kingzett, executive director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association, in a press release.
“The ongoing delays and decisions made by the federal government continue to cause concern and stress on these families and communities as they do not know what the future holds for them,” he added.
The BC Salmon Farmers Association claims that the timeline given for the transition away from current production methods is unrealistic, going as far to say that it undermines the federal government's commitment to science-based decision-making, restoration of wild salmon populations, and support for Indigenous and rural coastal communities.
“Our sector has worked tirelessly over the past few years and submitted thousands of pages of documentation to the federal government to show our commitment to this process. The federal government knew that the five-year timeline to transition to closed containment or land-based [farming] was unrealistic, and the delay in releasing the draft Transition Framework will further inhibit our sector’s ability to meet the already demanding timeline set by DFO,” said Kingzett.
