The Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform released Ministry of Agriculture and Lands documents that show two companies have filed applications for permits to increase productivity at more than 20 different farm sites, says TheGlobeandMail.
According to TheGlobeandMail, mainstream Farms wants to increase its harvest at nine farms in the Broughton Archipelago, off Vancouver Island's northwest coast, to 25,521 tonnes from 7,310 tonnes, the applications show.
And Marine Harvest Canada is seeking to increase productivity to 11,462 tonnes from 3,842 at five farms in the Discovery Islands.
CARR says several applications for new farms are also on file. The applications, which are before the government awaiting approval, are bound to draw criticism, because the fish farming industry is under fire on the B.C. coast over concerns about its impact on wild salmon.
Environmentalists to Contain Fish Farm Expansion
CANADA - The controversial fish-farming industry in British Columbia is looking for government approval to expand several operations, an environmental coalition revealed yesterday.