Precautionary principle applied to ban open-net pens in BC
In 2019, the federal government made a committment to transition away from open-net pen salmon farms in coastal BC waters and towards land-based closed-containment systems. A ban on open-net pen salmon farms in BC will now take effect on June 30, 2029.
“We won’t be allowing restocking during that 5-year period,” says Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Canada. “We will be consulting with First Nations and other communities about other economic opportunities.”
Over 120 First Nations from across BC and 75% of British Columbians support the removal of open-net pen salmon farms from BC waters to protect wild Pacific salmon.
“The recreational fishery in British Columbia far bigger than the open-net pen fishery and the commerical fishery is much bigger than the open-net pen fishery,” says Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. “If we want to preserve wild salmon for future generations, we have to address climate change, we have to address habitat degradation, but we also have to take action on the basis of the precautionary principle to address the threat of aquaculture.”