Environmentalism Reconsidered - Fish Farms Promise & Peril

First Draft - June 6

Global News Video - Petition to Halt Expansion 

http://globalnews.ca/video/2024428/petition-to-halt-expansion-of-open-net-salmon-farms-presented-in-bc-legislature

As I understand the challenge with the Salmon Farms, as defined by the environmental movement, the wild stocks are being impacted by the Salmon Farms location vis-à-vis the migration route of Salmon Smolt and the location of the farms, and the resulting transfer of parasites and disease. Additionally, there have been the inadvertent release of “Atlantic Salmon” into the west coast fishery, with some concern of implanting an “invasive” species.

There is a paradox at play with fish farming, at once fish farming offers the solution to the overuse of wild stocks and yet the operation of fish farms comes with some reported damaging externalities. The curtailment of fish farms on the coast of British Columbia seems to negate the promise of relief of harvest of wild stocks, fish consumption is growing and will grow at a greater rate. Perhaps there is a management solution, by way of example, the facilitation of the relocation or reconfiguration of fish farming operations.

One realizes there is economics at play, fish farm operators have found the most “efficient” means to raise fish; open nets, floats and present feeding modalities generate a circumstance that answers market realities.  The question becomes, to what extent has their license to function impacted other operations – eg. Wild fish stocks. Of course, there is a greater question than a mere partial budget on pounds of fish raised, there is the general stewardship of the ecosystem at play.  

What has emerged out of the debate is polarization and confrontation,  it seems in British Columbia “polarization” is never far away – as issues like this invariably become politicized. If only one could look at the issue in a pristine state and let judgment rule, the challenge of course is that at some point science ends and then it is the eye of the master that fattens the cattle – in a polarized circumstance when the science ends – well it never ends – people always find ways of distorting the numbers.  

My instincts tell me there is a way to do fish farming, and maintain and enhance wild stocks, it is my instinct that the future of wild stocks is dependent on fish farming. There are a plethora of potential solutions, from closed farming systems to deep water farming solutions. Perhaps there could be put in place a transitional process to cox the “damaging” operations to “bluer” waters. Here is what I do know, it was government indecision and consternation that let the Cod fishery fall, we can do better here.

In responding to the challenge the key is to make policy around an honest assessment of facts and respond in accord with the facts - stating the obvious it seems - it rarely happens quite this way. There is strong data to support the environmentalists in this case - or at least the "non-fish farming" perspective, the challenge I have is, I've heard the environmental movement cry wolf so often - grossly overstating the risk. We need to be prepared to use our natural environment, there is throughout the province example after example of projects being obstructed. There is legitimate environmentalism and there is preservation/obstruction - one worries that valid points get muted by the chronic deployment of heated rhetoric.

More Thoughts on Environmentalism Reconsidered 

Lessons from the Cod Fishery