Canada: Federal Court rejects bid to review not renewing licenses of British Columbia fish farms

Published 2024년 6월 8일

Tridge summary

A federal Court has upheld the decision by former fisheries minister Joyce Murray to cease renewing licences for 15 Atlantic salmon farms in the Discovery Islands off British Columbia, citing concerns over the potential risk to wild salmon. The decision, which has been appealed by two First Nations and salmon farm operators, was found to satisfy the duty to consult and procedural fairness, and was deemed reasonable. This ruling is supported by Wild First, an organization opposed to open-net fish farming, and marks a step towards the mandated shift away from such farming by 2025. Despite the potential economic impact, no transition plans have been released by the department or the current minister.

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Original content

VANCOUVER — A federal Court has rejected a bid by two First Nations and salmon farm operators to review Ottawa's decision to not renew licences for 15 open-net Atlantic salmon farms in the waters off British Columbia. The written ruling from Judge Paul Favel says former fisheries minister Joyce Murray's February 2023 decision not to renew the licences for farms around B.C.'s Discovery Islands met the "requirement of the duty to consult" and "did not breach the operators' rights of procedural fairness." Favel also says the federal decision, which cited the uncertain risks posed by fish farms to wild salmon, was "reasonable." The application for judicial review into the decision not to renew licences was launched by the Wei Wai Kum and We Wai Kai nations in the areas of Quadra Island and Campbell River on Vancouver Island, as well as salmon farm operators including Grieg Seafood. Court documents say the First Nations made the application with concerns about the federal minister's ...

Source: Timescolonist