Salmon in a farming cage. (Photo: Alexandra Morton)

Marine Harvest keeps restocking farm amid aboriginal people’s protests

CANADA
Thursday, October 19, 2017, 23:00 (GMT + 9)

Marine Harvest Canada continued restocking a farm near Alert Bay during last weekend despite the Government's request to stop doing so, and amid protests from aboriginal people opposing ocean-based salmon farms.

To be able to carry on with its tasks in Port Elizabeth farm, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) boat attended the area to maintain order with protesters who have occupied area salmon farms since late August, Surrey Now Leader reported.

The firm received a letter from British Columbia (BC) Agriculture Minister Lana Popham, who clarified her letter was not a threat to cancel salmon farm tenures in a disputed area north of Vancouver Island.

Minister Popham’s letter to the firm managing director Vincent Erenst said the restocking “comes at a very sensitive time in government-to-government discussions” with aboriginal people who assert territory in the Broughton Archipelago.

“As you are aware, government will be reviewing tenures and will make a decision on renewals before the current leases expire in June 2018,” Popham wrote. “While the issuance of any replacement tenure or any permission to allow you continued occupation of existing sites on a month-to-month [basis] remains subject to future decision-making processes and cannot be guaranteed, we look forward to your input on the lease renewal decisions,” it added.

Meanwhile, Marine Harvest communications director Ian Roberts said the restocking was put off as long as possible, and the need to proceed and maintain the health of live salmon was communicated to the government. He added that the protesters have refused to meet with company officials, and Marine Harvest is willing to talk about solutions, including relocating salmon farms.

“However, that solution must include maintaining the business we have built over 30 years in BC with the support of the provincial and federal governments,” Roberts said in a statement.

“We have a very good track record of working with First Nation governments, who are willing to meet with us – currently having protocol agreements with 15 First Nations out of the 24 First Nations in whose traditional territories we operate,” Roberts pointed out.

For his part, BC Premier John Horgan claimed it is not just Marine Harvest’s tenure that could be in question as all salmon farm tenures are going to be subject to review and that it will done according to guidelines and principles set out in the Cohen Commission and United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Business Vancouver informed.

“We are going to be reviewing tenures, consistent with the Cohen Commission recommendation to ensure that migratory routes for wild salmon are clear of obstacle or any other deterrent – not just fish farms – but other obstacles to making their way either out to sea or out to spawn,” Horgan said.

Salmon farming generates CAD 1.5 billion in economic activity in BC and directly employs 3,000 people, according to economic analysis released last month by the BC Salmon Farmers Association.

 
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