Land Farmers Join Fight To Save Salmon Farming In British Columbia

National agricultural and food associations across Canada are calling for the federal government to support BC salmon farmers as an integral and growing part of Canadian food production.

They’ve issued a joint letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, opposition leaders, various relevant federal ministers and all provincial premiers calling for support.

The letter is addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, opposition leaders, various relevant federal ministers, and all provincial premiers.

It details how federal government decisions have already shut down 40% of salmon farms in BC since 2020 and calls for support in reversing the trend and cancelling plans to “transition” all conventional salmon farms into land-based alternatives before Federal Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray presents the latest options for the transition framework to the federal cabinet.

According to the signatories to the letter, such a transition is already “making groceries more expensive for Canadian families, increasing carbon emissions and wiping out jobs that are the lifeblood of rural, coastal and Indigenous communities”.

They argue, “These shutdowns were not based on science but on politics and claims by activists that salmon farms are harming wild salmon, which has been proven false through rigorous peer-review science evaluation processes under the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.”

“Simply put, we need to grow more food in this country to feed Canadians and the world and continue to grow it better. Grounded in evidence-based policy, it is Canada’s obligation to deliver the best, sustainable, high-quality, and affordable food to Canadians, while also growing jobs, driving economic growth and supplying this food to the world.”

Federal Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray is expected to soon present options for the B.C. salmon farm transition framework to the federal cabinet.