B.C. fish farm assessment will go ahead

Robyn Smith
March 17, 2010
The Globe and Mail

A major B.C. salmon farm hoping to expand its operations will be subject to an environmental assessment by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the department has told an environmental group who threatened legal action over the case.

The decision was made despite the fact the lawsuit charging federal authorities for permitting the expansion without conducting an assessment was never filed.

Last month, the environmental legal group Ecojustice threatened to sue DFO, claiming the department had not conducted a proper environmental assessment of Marine Harvest Canada's Doyle Island facility before granting it license to expand. Such assessment is mandatory under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, according to Ecojustice staff lawyer Judah Harrison.

In a letter sent to Ecojustice dated March 12, a representative of DFO wrote that the department “will, at this time, be undertaking an environmental assessment pursuant to [the act].”

According to Marine Harvest representative Ian Roberts, the company had submitted plans for expansion to federal regulators after collaborating with the Kwakiutl First Nation, in whose territory the facility is located.

“This is not a question of environmental sustainability, but rather an apparent procedural oversight by regulators which Marine Harvest expects will get straightened out,” wrote Roberts via e-mail.

Mr. Roberts also confirmed that the planned 37 per cent production increase of salmon remains the aim of the expansion.

Ecojustice recently won a case for greater transparency of fish farms. In a ruling March 1, the Office of the Information & Privacy Commissioner of B.C. ordered that the government release data collected on sea lice infestations at B.C. salmon farms within 30 days, regardless of concerns that the data may be used to harm fisheries or be taken out of context.

Source The Globe and Mail

Related stories:

• Times Colonist; March 19, 2010; "Ottawa to review bid to expand salmon farm - Overrides decision to allow increase in output without scientific review"
• Courier Islander; March 19, 2010; "DFO withdraws approval of fish farm expansion"

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