B.C. fish farming expansion frozen until December

CBC News
January 27, 2010

Fish farming on the West Coast won't be allowed to expand until at least December, following a B.C. Supreme Court decision to give the federal government more time to take over the job of regulating the industry from the province.

The decision by Justice Christopher Hinkson allows the transfer of power from B.C. to Ottawa to be postponed from February until mid-December. During that period, B.C. won't be allowed to grant any more licences or allow existing fish farms to expand.

Alexandra Morton, a long-time opponent of open-net fish farming, welcomed the decision.

"It's temporary for sure, but I'm hoping we can bring some reason to this situation because we know you can't pour a limitless number of salmon into this ocean whether they're ranched, farmed, enhanced, wild — any of them. So we need to stop and think about this," she said.

The B.C. Supreme Court ruled in February 2009 that the federal government, not the province, should regulate fish farms.

Read the full story on CBC News

Read the Supreme Court of British Columbia decision

Read related stories:

Nanaimo Daily News; February 2nd, 2010; "Fish farm critics applaud court rulings, press for more regulation" 

Prince Rupert Daily News; January 29, 2010; "Moratorium upheld of fish farms" 

Metronews.ca; January 28, 2010; "B.C. judge grants Ottawa extension to come up with fish farm laws"