Thursday, the Central Region Board unanimously approved a request by Mainstream Canada and the Ahousaht First Nation to renew 20-year leases for each site.
Moved by Robert Mundy, Ucluelet First Nation, the motion was seconded by Mike Kokura, a provincial representative from Port Alberni.
“Congratulations to the company and Ahousaht,” said Jim Lornie, the CRB’s provincial co-chair. Lornie said the band and company have improved relations.
The sites are located near Saranac Island, McLeod Island, Bawden Point, East Bedwell, Bedwell Sound, Rant Point, McKay Island, Bare Bluff and Fortune Channel.
The farms were limited to five-year replacement terms in 2001.
Mainstream Canada, a subsidiary of Cermaq, a Norwegian-based salmon-farming company, submitted the tenure renewal in a Feb. 22 letter to the CRB.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands recommended 20-year replacement tenures.
“We believe our request for 20 years is valid because of the performance of the company,” said Alistair Haughton, deputy managing director for Mainstream Canada.
Haughton said the company has invested $36 million into the sites to upgrade equipment and it is working towards better environmental certification.
He said the company has cleaned up its act over the past six years.
Source: Westcoaster
Moved by Robert Mundy, Ucluelet First Nation, the motion was seconded by Mike Kokura, a provincial representative from Port Alberni.
“Congratulations to the company and Ahousaht,” said Jim Lornie, the CRB’s provincial co-chair. Lornie said the band and company have improved relations.
The sites are located near Saranac Island, McLeod Island, Bawden Point, East Bedwell, Bedwell Sound, Rant Point, McKay Island, Bare Bluff and Fortune Channel.
The farms were limited to five-year replacement terms in 2001.
Mainstream Canada, a subsidiary of Cermaq, a Norwegian-based salmon-farming company, submitted the tenure renewal in a Feb. 22 letter to the CRB.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands recommended 20-year replacement tenures.
“We believe our request for 20 years is valid because of the performance of the company,” said Alistair Haughton, deputy managing director for Mainstream Canada.
Haughton said the company has invested $36 million into the sites to upgrade equipment and it is working towards better environmental certification.
He said the company has cleaned up its act over the past six years.
Source: Westcoaster