Canada makes decision that will have lasting impact on lucrative industry: 'Part of our commitment to ... reconciliation'

The Canadian government will ban open-net salmon farms by mid-2029 to protect the culturally and ecologically significant fish of British Columbia.

According to Reuters, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had initially pledged to ban open-net salmon farms by 2025. On June 19, the government announced the new order for 2029. 

For a smooth transition, Canada's Fisheries and Oceans will renew existing salmon aquaculture licenses for five years. The organization's minister, Diane Lebouthillier, also noted there would be "stricter conditions around managing sea lice on farmed fish, reporting requirements for the industry, and monitoring of marine mammal interactions."

One of the complaints from campaigners about open-net fishing is that it can spread lice and diseases to wild fish, so stopping the practice will help preserve the fish in the area. 

Salmon farming is also a big industry in the region, supporting 7,000 jobs and bringing in about $1.09 billion to the economy annually, according to data from the BC Salmon Farmers Association cited by Reuters. 

Some First Nations communities have campaigned for open-net fishing to end, but for others, it's part of their livelihoods, and they are upset about the transition's speed and the lack of consultation on the matter, per Reuters. Federal Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson indicated efforts would be made to ensure a smooth adjustment period. 

"We recognize the importance of meaningful and thoughtful engagement with First Nations partners and communities as we move forward, in order to ensure that economic impacts are mitigated," Wilkinson said in a press release.

According to the Pacific Salmon Foundation, there are seven species of wild salmon in British Columbia, including Chinook, Pink, Steelhead Trout, Chum, and Sockeye. Of these, 9,000 populations are in the area, but around half are in decline. 

Declining populations are hazardous, as they aren't just a food source for humans. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, they are also a food source for wildlife, including killer whales, bald eagles, and bears. 

Endangered Southern resident killer whales, in particular, primarily eat Chinook salmon, while salmon carcasses even provide food and nutrients to tiny aquatic insects and other invertebrates. Without salmon, the ecosystem would collapse. 

While British Columbia isn't the only place where salmon populations are declining, there is hope because some are returning to areas where salmon had vanished.

For example, in 2023, the San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network didn't see any coho salmon returning to Olema Creek to spawn. Just a year later, the fish had made a significant return. Elsewhere, river restoration efforts have revitalized local waterways. 

Many organizations are working to protect salmon populations as well, and you can donate to them to help ensure these fish continue being a food source for wildlife and humans. 

"Wild Pacific salmon is part of who we are as British Columbians," Minister of Citizens' Services Terry Beech said in the government press release. "This measure … is part of our commitment to environmental stewardship and reconciliation. We will work with Indigenous communities, industry, governments, and stakeholders to restore the abundance of wild salmon for the benefit of future generations."

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