Vancouver, traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations:  Fisheries Minister Murray announced today that salmon farms in the critical migration routes of Fraser River salmon, through the Discovery Islands (DI) area near Campbell River, will remain free of Atlantic salmon.

Living Oceans welcomes the news that Minister Murray has decided to protect wild Pacific salmon from the harmful effects of salmon farms in the Discovery Islands.

“With salmon in the Fraser River populations at an all-time and dangerously low abundance, it was essential to protect their migration route from the viruses, bacteria and lice that are bred on salmon farms,” said Karen Wristen, Executive Director of Living Oceans Society. “Now, we must turn attention to the more distant parts of the migration route, around Port Hardy, where farms continue to operate.

Salmon on the West Coast of Vancouver Island are equally at risk, especially in Clayoquot Sound, a United Nations Biosphere Reserve and the last place that an industry that puts wild salmon at risk should be operating.

“There are still about 90 licensed salmon farm tenures in the Province,” said Wristen. “It remains important to keep the focus on recovering all salmon populations at risk, not just the Fraser stocks.”