124
MLCM
FALL/WINTER2016
LIFE
SOMETHINGFISHY…
NORWEGIAN-OWNEDOPENNETFISHFARMSAREDESTROYINGBC’SWILDSALMON
POPULATIONSANDNOONE INAPOSITIONTOCHANGETHATSEEMSTOGIVEADAMN
words :: Feet Banks
In our Summer 2010 issue we ran a story about foreign-owned, open net
fish farms in BC waters and the harmful effects they have on wild salmon
populations. Back then, marine biologist Alexandra Morton was leading the
charge to bring awareness about the dangers of pathogens, disease and
parasites that pass through the nets of fish farm “feedlots” and into wild
salmon populations as they pass farm after farm on their migration to and
from rivers.
At the time, the Provincial Government and Federal Department of
Fisheries seemed uninterested in discussing Morton’s research or the
concerns she raised. But Alexandra Morton has not given up. Last
summer, the Sea Sheppard Conservation Society loaned Alexandra the
MartinSheenRV
, a fully-crewed 80-foot sailboat/research vessel, to assist
in her research.
With Beyond Boarding filmmaker Tamo Campos on board, Alexandra and
the
MartinSheen
crew examined every salmon farm between Vancouver and
Port Hardy (northern Vancouver Island). They met with theMusgamagw
Dzawada’enuxw First Nations, who have been fighting fish farms on their
traditional lands in the BroughtonArchipelago for close to 30 years.
We caught up with Tamo andAlexandra to talk about their summer on the
water and what they learned about an issue that could have devastating
effects on British Columbia’s future.
TheDzawada’enuwxNationhas stood inopposition to fish farms in their territory for nearly 30 years toprotect their salmon andherring. SIMONAGER / SEA SHEPHERDCONSERVATION SOCIETY
