From Hansard Monday October 26, 2009:
REGULATION OF AQUACULTURE
INDUSTRY IN B.C.
L. Popham: This weekend Marine Harvest Canada admitted to another mass escape of 40,000 farmed Atlantic salmon in the Broughton Archipelago — another escape; another significant threat to our wild salmon. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
This again demonstrates the urgent need to transition all open-net farms to closed-containment technology. B.C. could be a world leader in closed containment, or we can continue to watch our wild salmon stocks collapse. Will the Minister of Agriculture commit today that the province will take the lead on moving the aquaculture industry to closed-containment technology? [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
Hon. S. Thomson: The incident that the member opposite refers to was reported to us immediately, as per our regulation, which is required. It is the most comprehensive regulation in the world, in terms of our environmental regulation, that we have for the aquaculture industry. It's under investigation, led by the Ministry of Agriculture, by the Ministry of the Environment, by DFO. We continue to take this incident very seriously, and we're going to continue to investigate fully. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
Mr. Speaker: The member has a supplemental. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
L. Popham: Closed containment would have prevented this escape of farmed salmon, but this government continues to refuse to show any leadership on aquaculture. There are seven pending applications for new fish farms and multiple applications for expansion before the Minister of Agriculture. Given the Liberal government's abysmal record on this issue, will the minister finally take action to preserve our wild salmon by committing today that there will be no expansion of open-net fish farms in British Columbia? [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
Hon. S. Thomson: The ministry's and the government's approach to closed containment is consistent with the recommendations of the Pacific Salmon Forum, one of the most comprehensive reviews done. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
As you know, we're in a process of transition of jurisdiction of finfish aquaculture to the federal government. Those reports are going to continue to inform our direction with the federal government. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
R. Fleming: The Minister of Agriculture has said that his government has a transition strategy to closed containment? For eight years this government has done nothing but reject those solutions to make aquaculture more sustainable in British Columbia and to protect our wild salmon stocks. That's their record on fisheries management for eight years. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
You know, we've got the Chinese government in British Columbia concluding R-and-D agreements with B.C. companies for China, not British Columbia, to develop this technology, and there's not any interest by this jurisdiction to do the same. We could be leaders. We could be building green jobs if we did that. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
In just over 90 days B.C. is going to transfer jurisdiction for fisheries management to the feds, to DFO. Now, sport fishermen, commercial fishers, marine biologists are all afraid that this minister, who has seven applications on his desk, is going to approve them… [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
R. Fleming: …rush them through before the deadline. So I want to ask the Minister of Agriculture today: will he assure this House that he will not do that — that he will not rush through new applications for open-net fish farms before the transfer to the federal government in 90 days? [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
Hon. S. Thomson: I'm sure the members opposite have read carefully the Hinkson decision. What the Hinkson decision said was that the provincial government was to continue to manage its responsibilities for the aquaculture industry until that transfer is complete in February. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
We're continuing to work to that objective in terms of providing the certainty for both the industry and for the environment in our negotiations with the federal government. But as you know, the courts said that we continue to manage our responsibilities under the industry during this time period. [DRAFT TRANSCRIPT ONLY]
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Topic: From Hansard, October 26, Re Fish Farms (Read 2321 times)