Citizens call on Province to end fish farm tenures in Broughton Archipelago

Rallies at five MLA constituency offices on June 13, 2018

Tomorrow (on June 13),  Safe Salmon—a cross-sector initiative that is supported by small businesses, unions, First Nations and everyday citizens—is hosting rallies in five BC communities.  Citizens attending the rallies will urge the provincial government to let fish farm leases expire later this month.

20 fish farm tenures in the Broughton Archipelago  are due to expire on June 20, 2018. The Province has the authority to renew or retire these leases, while the federal government issues the operating licences for the site approved by the BC government.

Peaceful rallies are taking place on Wednesday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at the following locations:

  • Victoria. Premier John Horgan’s Constituency Office | 2806 Jacklin Road, Langford
  • Vancouver. Environment Minister George Heyman’s Constituency Office | 642 West Broadway
  • Courtenay. Constituency Office of MLA Ronna-Rae Leonard, Chair of the Agriculture and Fish Committee | 437 5th Street
  • Campbell River. Transport Minister Claire Trevena’s Constituency Office | 908 Island Hwy
  • Port Moody. MLA Rick Glumac’s Constituency Office | 2708 Saint Johns Street

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WHAT: A peaceful demonstration for elected officials to see and hear their communities’ support for letting fish-farm tenures in the Broughton Archipelago expire when the leases end on June 20, 2018.

WHEN: Wednesday, June 13 | 12pm-1pm

WHERE: MLA constituency offices in Victoria, Vancouver, Courtenay, Campbell River and Port Moody.

WHY: It’s time to get the nets out of our coastal waters! BC is the last jurisdiction on the west coast of North America to allow open net-pen salmon farming, which is now banned or being phased out in the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California. BC needs to join the global trend toward land-based aquaculture so that wild salmon stocks can thrive again.

WHO: Safe Salmon is a campaign hosted by Watershed Watch, Living Oceans, and Georgia Strait Alliance, centred around the Declaration in Defence of BC’s Wild Salmon. Over 14,000 citizens and broad array of First Nations, mayors and city councillors, scientists, sport and commercial fishers, and prominent British Columbians have endorsed the Declaration. It can be found at SafeSalmon.ca.

For more information or to arrange interviews contact:

Anna Kemp, Communications Manager, Watershed Watch Salmon Society, 250-884-4072

Media Inquiries

For inquiries or to join our media list, please contact:

Meghan Rooney
Science and Communications Coordinator

meghan@watershedwatch.ca
604-762-5608

Citizens call on Province to end fish farm tenures in Broughton Archipelago

Rallies at five MLA constituency offices on June 13, 2018

Tomorrow (on June 13),  Safe Salmon—a cross-sector initiative that is supported by small businesses, unions, First Nations and everyday citizens—is hosting rallies in five BC communities.  Citizens attending the rallies will urge the provincial government to let fish farm leases expire later this month.

20 fish farm tenures in the Broughton Archipelago  are due to expire on June 20, 2018. The Province has the authority to renew or retire these leases, while the federal government issues the operating licences for the site approved by the BC government.

Peaceful rallies are taking place on Wednesday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at the following locations:

  • Victoria. Premier John Horgan’s Constituency Office | 2806 Jacklin Road, Langford
  • Vancouver. Environment Minister George Heyman’s Constituency Office | 642 West Broadway
  • Courtenay. Constituency Office of MLA Ronna-Rae Leonard, Chair of the Agriculture and Fish Committee | 437 5th Street
  • Campbell River. Transport Minister Claire Trevena’s Constituency Office | 908 Island Hwy
  • Port Moody. MLA Rick Glumac’s Constituency Office | 2708 Saint Johns Street

____________________

WHAT: A peaceful demonstration for elected officials to see and hear their communities’ support for letting fish-farm tenures in the Broughton Archipelago expire when the leases end on June 20, 2018.

WHEN: Wednesday, June 13 | 12pm-1pm

WHERE: MLA constituency offices in Victoria, Vancouver, Courtenay, Campbell River and Port Moody.

WHY: It’s time to get the nets out of our coastal waters! BC is the last jurisdiction on the west coast of North America to allow open net-pen salmon farming, which is now banned or being phased out in the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California. BC needs to join the global trend toward land-based aquaculture so that wild salmon stocks can thrive again.

WHO: Safe Salmon is a campaign hosted by Watershed Watch, Living Oceans, and Georgia Strait Alliance, centred around the Declaration in Defence of BC’s Wild Salmon. Over 14,000 citizens and broad array of First Nations, mayors and city councillors, scientists, sport and commercial fishers, and prominent British Columbians have endorsed the Declaration. It can be found at SafeSalmon.ca.

For more information or to arrange interviews contact:

Anna Kemp, Communications Manager, Watershed Watch Salmon Society, 250-884-4072

Media Inquiries

For inquiries or to join our media list, please contact:

Meghan Rooney
Science and Communications Coordinator

meghan@watershedwatch.ca
604-762-5608