I would never stop anyone from seeing a movie they might enjoy.
So, if you really want to watch a locally-produced documentary called Salmon Confidential, then please do. Bring popcorn. But for the majority of the population who have retained their ability to think critically, it’s fair that they know some important facts about this film.
Salmon Confidential has been produced for a reason; because the storyline in this movie failed to impress experts at the Cohen Inquiry into the Fraser River sockeye. In fact, after hearing witness testimony from the main actor, Alexandra Morton, Judge Bruce Cohen concluded that the “data presented during this Inquiry did not show that salmon farms were having a significant negative impact on Fraser River sockeye” (Final Report, Volume 3, p. 24, column 2).
This conclusion — a two year, $26 million scientific inquiry and the expert testimony of numerous fish health professionals and biologists — did not sit well with Alexandra Morton.
So, her story is repeated again in this one-hour movie. The difference this time is: her story goes unchallenged. Add some dubious editing and omission of vital facts about salmon migration and fish health, and you have a very compelling yet completely fictional story.
I would never stop anyone from seeing a movie they might enjoy. But just like our grandparents when hearing War of the Worlds for the first time — we should be forewarned that it’s fiction. If you want to learn more about the errors and false claims made in this documentary, please visit: http://www.salmonfarmers.org/sites/default/files/salmon_confidential_myths_facts.pdf
Ian Roberts
Marine Harvest Canada
Campbell River