MP Nathan Cullen hails Federal Court after ruling on farmed salmon

A Federal Court has ruled on a case related to how DFO handles the
Aquaculture industry calling for testing of farmed salmon prior to
transfer to open net pens

The Federal Court issued a major ruling this week on farmed salmon practices that the Department of Fisheries has in place, overturning the practice that allowed for farmed salmon to be transferred to open-net pens without testing for  Piscine Orthoreovirus, known as PRV.

The case went to court after biologist Alexandra Morton and the Namgis First Nation brought their concerns to the court over the release of the farmed salmon without any form of testing by the federal department, making note of how the practice poses risk to the Wild Stocks that transit the waters of British Columbia's coastline and river systems.

The court ruling found the claimants concerns valid and ruled the practice as unlawful, which means that DFO will either have to appeal the ruling or begin the process of developing a new transfer policy that incorporates the testing for the virus.

In a statement from Monday, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans outlined that it was currently reviewing the Federal Court Decision, while noting how the department subscribe to " a strong, science-based approach to regulating the aquaculture industry is essential and that is why we have and will continue to conduct extensive research which informs our policies and regulations. ... This includes an assessment of on-land and sea-based closed containment technology, and the development of a framework for risk management."

Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen hailed the Federal Court ruling on Wednesday, issuing his own statement that welcomed the direction that the Court has given to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

In his media release the MP observed how the ruling "is a huge win for wild salmon and for everybody who cares about seeing healthy salmon return to our rivers every summer”

The Member of Parliament also took the Department to task for having been forced to action through the courts rather than by the process of accepting science when it comes to fishery issues.

“The fact that Canadians had to go to court to force this Liberal government to actually protect our salmon from disease is stunning. This is a government that claims to respect science, but decisions like this from the DFO seriously undermine the trust of Canadians in their ability to do their job and support fisheries”

Mr. Cullen also noted that DFO should be turning its attention towards the protection of wild salmon and not on fish farming as their scope of their focus for the future.

For more items of note related to the Fishery on the North Coast, Haida Gwaii and Southeast Alaska see our archive page here.

Notes from the House of Commons can be explored here.

For a wider overview of federal issues see our political portal D'Arcy McGee.


Cross posted from the North Coast Review