Gov't out of fish farm management

George T. Baker
September 17, 2009
Prince George Citizen

The provincial government will no longer be responsible for managing fish farms on the coast.

The switch in authority to the Fisheries and Oceans Canada was welcomed by environmentalists and North Coast politicians alike, although concern then shifted to the effect this would have on the North Cost moratorium on fish farms.

According to the federal government, that won’t be affected because the moratorium is still a provincial jurisdiction.

“The moratorium was placed under the B.C Land Act and there is no impact from the Morton decision to the B.C. Land Act,” said DFO media relations’ representative Andrew Thomson.

The provincial government continues to hold the right to issue land tenures, which come under the B.C. Land Act.

According to Thomson, the placement of an aquaculture facility requires land tenure - or essentially a chunk of seabed. “That portion of any regulation of aquaculture remains the same,” said Thomson.

Much was made of the ‘quietness’ of the transfer. There was no public announcement made and environmental stakeholders such as Living Oceans Society felt the provincial government was trying evade attention to the issue as they made the final decision on transferring responsibilities. 

Read the full article in the Prince George Citizen