Fish Farms

Mowi has applied to the court to be allowed to transfer fish into two of their Discovery Islands pens to let the salmon grow to marketable size. (Photo supplied)

Fish farmers in court today arguing for Discovery Islands injunction

DFO, conservationists will argue tomorrow against putting more fish in the pens slated for closure

Mowi has applied to the court to be allowed to transfer fish into two of their Discovery Islands pens to let the salmon grow to marketable size. (Photo supplied)
A Photo from Sept. 2020, when First Nations and wild salmon advocates took to the streets in Campbell River to protest against open-pen fish farms in B.C.’s waters. On Dec. 17, federal fisheries minister Bernadette Jordan announced her decision to phase out 19 fish farms from Discovery Islands. (Marc Kitteringham/Campbell River Mirror)

B.C. chiefs say Discovery Island fish farm process did not get reconciliation right

Wei Wai Kum and We Wai Kai chiefs say feds, province and industry all missed opportunities

A Photo from Sept. 2020, when First Nations and wild salmon advocates took to the streets in Campbell River to protest against open-pen fish farms in B.C.’s waters. On Dec. 17, federal fisheries minister Bernadette Jordan announced her decision to phase out 19 fish farms from Discovery Islands. (Marc Kitteringham/Campbell River Mirror)
(B.C. government)

Horgan chastising feds for Discovery Islands fish farm decision ‘ironic’: First Nation chief

Wei Wai Kum says province ignored request for Broughton-like-process long before federal involvement

(B.C. government)
Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan’s office said that Mowi’s intention to cull fish is unfortunate but the government is not directing the company to take this option. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Feds says they are not on the hook for Mowi decision to cull 2.6 million farmed fish

DFO says it has not ordered the cull nor denied transfer to other sites

Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan’s office said that Mowi’s intention to cull fish is unfortunate but the government is not directing the company to take this option. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Mowi Canada West salmon farm. (Mowi photo)

Salmon farming exec says feds left B.C. industry on the hook with no safety net

“Quite possibly the most impactful, careless, reckless, thoughtless, decision that I have ever seen”

Mowi Canada West salmon farm. (Mowi photo)
Mowi lowers estimates to 2.6 million smolt at risk of being culled in their Vancouver Island hatcheries. (Mowi Canada West).

Mowi backtracks on fish cull losses – 8.3 million to 2.6 million

The new estimate reflects the immediate at risk smolt numbers in hatcheries

Mowi lowers estimates to 2.6 million smolt at risk of being culled in their Vancouver Island hatcheries. (Mowi Canada West).
Smolts from three hatcheries on North Vancouver Island which were scheduled for fish farms in Discovery Islands will be culled as there are no other production sites to move them to, said Mowi Canada West. (Photo courtesy, Mowi)

UPDATE: Vancouver Island hatcheries cull 2.6M fish due to federal farm decision

Mowi Canada West estimates huge revenue loss from the culling

Smolts from three hatcheries on North Vancouver Island which were scheduled for fish farms in Discovery Islands will be culled as there are no other production sites to move them to, said Mowi Canada West. (Photo courtesy, Mowi)
Open-pen fish farm operations in Nootka Sound. The mayor of Tahsis welcomed the federal decision to phase out 19 Discovery Islands fish farm by 2022 and said that the solution going forward is land based aquaculture. (Submitted photo)

Tahsis mayor breaks rank, supports decision to phase out fish farms

North Island community swimming against concerns expressed by its neighbours

Open-pen fish farm operations in Nootka Sound. The mayor of Tahsis welcomed the federal decision to phase out 19 Discovery Islands fish farm by 2022 and said that the solution going forward is land based aquaculture. (Submitted photo)
Aquaculture employee from Vancouver Island, Michelle, poses with a comment that she received on social media. Facebook group Women in Canadian Salmon Farming started an online campaign #enoughisenough to highlight the harassment they were facing online after debates about Discovery Islands fish farms intensified on social media. (Submitted photo)

Female aquaculture employees report online bullying, say divisive debate has turned sexist

Vancouver Island’s female aquaculture employees start #enoughisenough to address misogynistic comments aimed at them

Aquaculture employee from Vancouver Island, Michelle, poses with a comment that she received on social media. Facebook group Women in Canadian Salmon Farming started an online campaign #enoughisenough to highlight the harassment they were facing online after debates about Discovery Islands fish farms intensified on social media. (Submitted photo)
North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney and Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan had a conversation on Monday about the economic transition plan for Vancouver Island, following the minister’s Dec.17 announcement to phase out 19 Discovery Island fish farms by 2022 . THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Fisheries minister, MP Blaney talk fish farm transition plans for Vancouver Island

Suggestions involve economic development summit for North Island with feds and regional stakeholders

North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney and Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan had a conversation on Monday about the economic transition plan for Vancouver Island, following the minister’s Dec.17 announcement to phase out 19 Discovery Island fish farms by 2022 . THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
An Atlantic salmon is seen during a Department of Fisheries and Oceans fish health audit at the Okisollo fish farm near Campbell River, B.C. on Oct. 31, 2018. Several Vancouver Island mayors and members of British Columbia's salmon farming industry say a federal decision to phase out fish farming has left them feeling "disposable and discarded." In a letter to Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan, they say they weren't consulted before she announced a plan to phase out open-net pen fish farming in the Discovery Islands over the next 18 months. THE CANADIAN PRESS /Jonathan Hayward

Vancouver Island mayors say they weren’t consulted on B.C. fish farm phase out plan

Concerns and outrage over federal decision on Discovery Islands’ open-net pen farming continue

An Atlantic salmon is seen during a Department of Fisheries and Oceans fish health audit at the Okisollo fish farm near Campbell River, B.C. on Oct. 31, 2018. Several Vancouver Island mayors and members of British Columbia's salmon farming industry say a federal decision to phase out fish farming has left them feeling "disposable and discarded." In a letter to Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan, they say they weren't consulted before she announced a plan to phase out open-net pen fish farming in the Discovery Islands over the next 18 months. THE CANADIAN PRESS /Jonathan Hayward
Nineteen salmon farms in the Discovery Islands have been given 18 months to vacate, causing shock and uncertainty in the industry. (Photo courtesy Grieg Seafood BC)

Canada ‘stole Christmas’ says Vancouver Island’s aquaculture industry

Federal decision to phase out 19 Discovery Island fish farms has sent shivers across northern Vancouver Island

Nineteen salmon farms in the Discovery Islands have been given 18 months to vacate, causing shock and uncertainty in the industry. (Photo courtesy Grieg Seafood BC)
A Mirror file photo from Sept. 26, when First Nations marched in Campbell River, in solidarity with 100 other Nations throughout the province to protest against fish farms in B.C.’s coastal waters. (Photo by Marc Kitteringham)

Vancouver Island First Nation chief tells mayors to butt out of Discovery Island fish farm consultations

Homalco chief asking mayors to be ‘respectful’ of the ‘government-to-government’ process

A Mirror file photo from Sept. 26, when First Nations marched in Campbell River, in solidarity with 100 other Nations throughout the province to protest against fish farms in B.C.’s coastal waters. (Photo by Marc Kitteringham)
Twenty-three B.C. mayors have asked Premier John Horgan to enshrine five pillars of action that give natural resource development a key role in B.C.’s post-pandemic economic recovery plan. (Williams Lake Tribune file photo)

B.C. mayors want key role for resource development in pandemic recovery

23 leaders pen letter to premier, asking for inclusion in new policy discussions

Twenty-three B.C. mayors have asked Premier John Horgan to enshrine five pillars of action that give natural resource development a key role in B.C.’s post-pandemic economic recovery plan. (Williams Lake Tribune file photo)
Spawning sockeye salmon make their way up the Adams River in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park near Chase, B.C. Monday, Oct. 13, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Minimal risk to wild salmon from viruses on farmed B.C. salmon: Fisheries Department

In December 2017, a virus called 1HNV also posed a minimal risk to wild salmon

Spawning sockeye salmon make their way up the Adams River in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park near Chase, B.C. Monday, Oct. 13, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Data collected at Grieg’s B.C. farms will be merged with public ocean and weather data. (Grieg photo)

New blended data platform at Grieg fish farms help forecast oceanic events

On-site data combined with public oceanography and meteorology will be shared with stakeholders

Data collected at Grieg’s B.C. farms will be merged with public ocean and weather data. (Grieg photo)
Shellfish businesses, especially those producing oysters, will get some help for environmental clean-up. File photo

Shellfish industry get funds to clean up at Island sites and beyond

Businesses can apply to cover half of costs to clean up so-called ‘ghost gear’

Shellfish businesses, especially those producing oysters, will get some help for environmental clean-up. File photo
“Imagine blood-sucking chickens hanging off you.” Juvenile salmon with sea lice (Tavish Campbell photo)

Sea lice outbreak in juvenile salmon prompts First Nations leaders to call for fish farm closures

Wild salmon have higher rates of the parasites when ocean fish farms are near, research shows

“Imagine blood-sucking chickens hanging off you.” Juvenile salmon with sea lice (Tavish Campbell photo)
A school of herring. (Dagur Brynjolfsson/Flickr)

Rally planned in Qualicum Beach in support of herring

Event set for Sunday, March 1 on waterfront

A school of herring. (Dagur Brynjolfsson/Flickr)
Four Cermaq Canada fish farm sites near Tofino are experiencing fish mortalities as a result of an algae bloom. (Westerly File Photo)

Algae bloom killing farmed fish on Vancouver Island’s West Coast

DFO says four Cermaq Canada salmon farms affected, fish not infectious

Four Cermaq Canada fish farm sites near Tofino are experiencing fish mortalities as a result of an algae bloom. (Westerly File Photo)