Canada: Land-based salmon farming faces many challenges in British Columbia

“I see a long-term future for land-based [fish farming], but unfortunately, not here in B.C. unless something drastically changes,” – Gary Robinson, consultant with Kuterra By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews Land-based fish farmers in British Columbia say their nascent industry will be adversely impacted by the government’s proposed ban on traditional ocean-based salmon farming on Canada’s west coast. They say logistical challenges, regulatory uncertainties, economic viability and infrastructure requirements all contribute to the difficulty of establishing a thriving land-based fish farming industry in the region. The Liberal government, bowing to demands of anti-fish farming activists, has announced a ban on open-net salmon farming in British Columbia after 2029, despite the government’s own fisheries experts’ findings that the marine operations pose minimal risk to wild stocks. Federal Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier has promised a transition plan for the sector, which will ...