Ending net-pen salmon farming costly, says aquaculture industry report

A study commissioned by the BC Salmon Farmers Association says the projected national prohibition connected marine net-pens successful British Columbia would outgo taxpayers billions and person “severe consequences” for Canada’s economy, Indigenous communities, and nutrient security.

The study by economics steadfast RIAS Inc. says prohibition would effect successful $9 cardinal of “unnecessary costs” to taxpayers to adjacent the assemblage and subsidize companies with “unproven closed containment technology.”

It says specified losses see $133.6 cardinal per twelvemonth to First Nations, the nonaccomplishment of much than 4,500 jobs and the elimination of 50,000 tonnes of farm-raised salmon.

In June, the national authorities announced that it would hold the closure of unfastened nett farms until 2029 to facilitate a modulation to closed containment systems.

Open-net food farms disconnected B.C.’s seashore person been a large flashpoint, with biology groups and immoderate First Nations saying the farms are linked to the transportation of illness to chaotic salmon, portion supporters accidental the farms’ risks are unproven oregon overblown and mention economical costs if operations are phased out.

The farmers’ relation says successful a quality merchandise that national and autarkic scientists person concluded the farms airs small hazard and that removing the farms would not impact the colonisation of chaotic Pacific salmon.

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It says the relation and Coalition of First Nations for Finfish Stewardship are present urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to “consider a much realistic, no-cost-to-taxpayers alternate to modulation that would execute the aforesaid result arsenic a prohibition without imposing devastating impacts connected the sector, connected First Nations’ rights, and connected coastal communities successful B.C.”

It says B.C.’s salmon farmers person besides “been committed to continuous innovation.”

“Mandating the assemblage to modulation to unproven technologies successful a abbreviated clip framework ignores the willingness of B.C. salmon farmers to administer alternate innovations that tin execute the aforesaid outcome,” a quality merchandise from the relation says.

“Innovative solutions request to beryllium tailored to unsocial coastal characteristics and aligned with the goals of the rightsholder First Nations who big salmon farms successful their territories.”