The following is an open letter written by Nancy Wigen of Salt Spring Island regarding net pen fish farms sent to federal fisheries minister Joyce Murray, filed with the Driftwood for publication.
Dear Minister Murray,
The federal government promised to get all open net pen salmon fish farms out of B.C. coast waters by 2025 or sooner.
This was wonderful news but now guess what? Once again the fish farm owners are coming up with an escape from the order to transition to land-based closed containment by promising “innovative changes.”
And what is the Department of Fisheries and Oceans doing in response? Planning to buy back (remove from fishing) half of B.C.’s salmon fishing boats!! This is just what Grieg fish farms would love to see: less competition for their commercial feedlot inferior product.
Why are these foreign-owned, disease and parasite spreading, industrial fish farms allowed to pollute and infect our waters, killing our native wild salmon, while our own commercial fishers, resident fishers, sport fishers, the tourist-related fisheries and of course First Nations have to cope with fishing restrictions, closures, etc. as we watch our wonderful wild Pacific salmon be pushed to extinction?
Are the foreign owners and shareholders and their fish farm employees more important than Canadian businesses and workers at all levels, as well as the First Nations food and ceremonial designations?
Is the profound impact of the environmental loss on our multiple species of wildlife, from whales, and orcas especially, to other fish, seabirds, marine mammals, bears, eagles — even the coastal forests that all need the nutrients wild salmon bring in from the open Pacific — are all these less important than Grieg Seafood’s profits?
No. They don’t even begin to compare.
The federal government must absolutely keep their promise to have all those net pens and any form of industrial farming of non-native salmon completely out of our waters by 2025 or before.
No excuses and no loopholes.
This is of utmost importance.
If you care to save our wild salmon, please send your message to Minister Joyce Murray at the address or phone number below. Every voice counts.
Email :
min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or joyce.murray@parl.gc.ca
Mail:
1) Ottawa constituency
Joyce Murray (no postage required)
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON Suite 206
K1A 0A6
2) Main office – Vancouver
2112 West Broadway
Vancouver, B.C.
V8K 2C8
I sent an email but was informed by auto reply that new address is DFO.Minister-Ministre.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca