It was a year back when the Provincial Legislature’s own Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture had recommended a rapid transition to closed-system fish farms. Now the provincial government continues to support net-pen salmon farming on B.C.’s South Coast. In report of the David Suzuki Foundation and Georgia Strait Alliance there is mention a shift from open to closed-system fish farming is not only a viable alternative to open net cage farming, but is also a vibrant and rapidly developing global industry.
Jay Ritchlin, of the David Suzuki Foundation, told that this is the right time for such development as science clearly shows that open net fish farming causes considerable environmental damage, including possible extinction of wild salmon in Canada’s Broughton Archipelago.
It is informed that the closed system aquaculture looks at diverse forms of closed-containment aquaculture being used and developed around the world to raise numerous types of seafood, including salmon. This system separates the farmed fish from the environment and allows control of input and output, thus diminishing damage to ecosystems and wild stocks.
Ruby Berry of the Georgia Strait Alliance opined that these technologies also offer tremendous economic opportunities, both in research and development and in operations. There are various closed-system technologies that are being used for numerous species of sea lives.
