Brian Gunn, president of the B.C. Wilderness Tourism Association (BCWTA) informed that Strathcona regional district approved the third reading of a rezoning application that would allow Grieg Seafood to farm Atlantic salmon in this wild salmon migratory route. He wrote a letter to individuals at the Agriculture and Lands ministry, Fisheries and Oceans Canada [DFO], regional district and Grieg Seafood.
In the letter he states that wilderness tourism contributes $1.5 billion in direct revenues to the BC economy an generates 26,000 jobs. The economic impact doubles to $3 billion including indirect and induced revenues and benefits and some 52,000 jobs. As an industry sector that depends on a resilient wild salmon resource, this aquaculture zoning decision is of extreme importance, says Gunn.
It is found that the decision to approve the rezoning application was motivated primarily by job creation. It is observed that this decision be reconsidered with serious consideration given to the environmental threats posed by open net-cage salmon aquaculture and the related impacts on existing jobs in the wilderness tourism and other industries reliant on healthy wild salmon stocks.
