Federal government urged to protect B.C. wild salmon

Mark Hume
March 2, 2010
The Globe and Mail 

Ten environmental organizations have written to Fisheries Minister Gail Shea urging the federal government “to implement emergency measures” to protect wild salmon from the negative impacts of salmon farms.

The letter says new regulations the government are drafting to protect wild salmon will not come into effect until next fall, while the biggest risk to stocks is in the spring, when juvenile fish migrate out of rivers and swim past salmon farms.

There have long been concerns that sea lice spread from farmed salmon to young, wild fish as they migrate past the pens.

The groups say five farms that lie along a constricted portion of Georgia Strait should be required to harvest all their salmon, to remove the threat of sea lice infestation.

“This emergency risk management measure will reduce the pressure of sea-lice transfer in at least one passage through the northern Georgia Strait on this year's juvenile Fraser River salmon making their way to the open ocean,” states the letter.

Read the full story and access the referenced letter at The Globe and Mail. 

Read related stories:

• Courier Islander; March 10, 2010; "Groups call for emergency corridor for wild salmon smolts, closure of three fish farms"