Dr. Wright and Ms. Emrick are both members of the SOS foundation's solutions advisory committee.
I hope you have the handout; I thought maybe we could follow along on that.
On page 2, slide 2, if you'd flip to that, SOS is a charitable foundation that funds economic, scientific, and legal research, as well as public education. The solutions advisory committee is a broad coalition of business leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals. We look for solutions to resolve marine conservation challenges. In doing so, we work collaboratively with scientists, first nations, salmon farmers, and environmental groups.
On slide 3, we are committed to working collaboratively with the federal and B.C. governments to achieve two fundamental goals: first, to protect B.C.'s wild salmon stocks and all that depends on them; second, to establish B.C. as a leader in creating a globally renowned, stable, and viable aquaculture industry.
I know that you've heard from a number of witnesses, including Dr. Krkosek, about the science around the impacts of open-net aquaculture. There is certainly a lot of debate.
It is our belief that there is sufficient peer-reviewed and published research in independent journals to support taking action. More importantly for the purpose of my presentation today, it is clear that there is a lack of public confidence in the regulation of open-net salmon aquaculture in B.C., and there cannot be growth in that industry until public confidence is restored. The shift in jurisdiction from B.C. to DFO has created a window of opportunity to rebuild public confidence and establish a viable aquaculture industry.
On slide 4, SOS proposes a three-point strategy to do this. In the short term, develop and implement a workable fallow and farm management plan to protect the most critical and threatened wild salmon. In the medium term, create a more transparent and accountable regulatory regime for finfish aquaculture. In the long term, catalyze a made-in-Canada, world-class, closed-containment aquaculture industry.
More specifically, to provide immediate relief to the Fraser River sockeye and begin restoring public confidence in the regulation of aquaculture in B.C., we recommend that DFO work with salmon farmers to expand the existing Broughton area management plan to protect the next generation of Fraser River salmon migrating through a high density of open-net cage salmon farms in the northern Georgia Strait.
We understand the key farms for removal of adult farm fish—and I'm talking about harvest, not permanent removal—are believed to be Venture Point, Cyrus Rocks, and the Okesola Sonora farm. However, this is subject to confirmation of the current stocking of these farms. This is information that is not currently publicly available, yet key to the risk management strategy. This should be accompanied by an independent sea lice monitoring program modelled after the program in the Broughton, which monitors both farmed and wild fish.
Regarding the creation of a transparent and accountable regulatory regime, SOS participated in DFO's formal process. A summary of our written recommendations is provided in our brief to you.
In short, the core elements of an effective new regulatory regime include, first, giving express priority to DFO's statutory obligation to protect and conserve fish and fish habitat over the growth of the aquaculture industry. It is essential to separate the functions of protection of wild fish and the promotion of aquaculture.
One mechanism to do this is the creation of an independent aquaculture licensing board and monitoring body. The second one is establishing science-based siting criteria, thresholds, and limits for effects outside the farm, and related monitoring, including on the wild salmon and other exposed marine life. The third one is addressing the prevention and monitoring of bycatch and impacts on predators, consistent with the approaches used in the commercial fisheries. The fourth mechanism is mandatory, timely, public reporting requirements for disease, parasites, and therapeutant use when entering the marine environment.
We will move to slide 6. The longer-term solution is to embrace the technological innovation that will lead to a sustainable aquaculture industry capable of supporting the growth goals set out in DFO's national aquaculture strategic planning initiative.
To move this forward, SOS funded, with the help of DFO and the B.C. government, a report by Dr. Wright on the feasibility of land-based closed-containment technology. Essentially, Dr. Wright's report concludes that it is technically and economically feasible.
In April, in collaboration with Simon Fraser University, we hosted a workshop to further explore the viability of this technology. Over 60 people from DFO, the B.C. government, first nations, industry, investors, environmental and conservation foundations, and academics participated. At the workshop, DFO presented a consultation draft of their study into the economic feasibility of this technology. While the results are not as favourable as Dr. Wright's, overall there's a convergence of views that it is now time to at least explore land-based closed-containment aquaculture as a more biosecure alternative to open-net technology.
To take the next step, the SOS foundation is working with the Namgis First Nation to develop a demonstration project to prove that salmon can be grown to full size at commercial densities and to validate the assumptions necessary to assess the potential for commercial-scale viability. We know that there are other similar projects under development. To ensure these projects are properly funded, Tides Canada is working to bring together funders and a governance framework through the creation of an innovation fund. To date, $5 million of philanthropic funding has been committed, provided that matching funds from government and industry are found. We encourage you to recommend that government work with Tides Canada to coordinate philanthropic and government funding for closed-containment demonstration projects.
Slide 7 summarizes what we are asking the committee to recommend. First is the immediate emergency removal of adult fish on a key migratory route of the Fraser River sockeye. Second is the development of a transparent and accountable regulatory regime with clear priority on the protection and conservation of wild fish and fish habitat. Third is taking leadership to catalyze the closed-containment industry by coordinating government funding programs to match philanthropic and private investment, and working with B.C. to prioritize the development of a regulatory regime specific to land-based closed containment.
In closing, there are a number of benefits that will flow from this approach. B.C., with its advantages of clean water, low-cost hydroelectricity with low greenhouse gas emissions, crown land, and an existing workforce skilled in salmon farming techniques, could start expanding the use of off-the-shelf systems. The aquaculture industry will have more certainty in decision-making.
Most importantly, priority will be properly placed on the protection of B.C.'s wild salmon, and public confidence will be restored in the regulation of aquaculture in B.C.
Thank you again for the opportunity to present our recommendations. We would be pleased to answer any questions you may have.