Debates of Nov. 15th, 2016

Fisheries and Oceans

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am following up on my question about the Liberal government's decision to extend the licences for open net salmon farms, from one year to six years, with no public input, no first nations consultation, and no environmental assessment.

The minister said that the government would be making decisions based on “scientific advice and the rigorous scientific standards that are required”. the government is not. The science is clear and the government is choosing to ignore it. Open net salmon farms pose a serious threat to wild salmon, and increasing the licence regime to six years contradicts the department's mandate to protect wild salmon. I do not understand how the government can claim that it is committed to implementing Cohen, seeking a nation-to-nation relationship with first nations, making evidence-based decisions, then turning around to issue six-year licences for open net salmon farms. The government is choosing to simply disregard the science and first nation concerns.

I would like to remind the government of one of Justice Cohen's key findings related to open net salmon farms. He stated:

...the potential harm posed to Fraser River sockeye from salmon farms is serious or irreversible. Disease transfer occurs between wild and farmed fish, and I am satisfied that salmon farms along the sockeye migration route have the potential to introduce exotic diseases and to exacerbate endemic diseases that could have a negative impact.

I would also like to remind the government that recommendations 18 and 19 state that if salmon farms in the Discovery Islands pose more than a minimal risk of serious harm, those farms should cease operations, and no new farms should be created. It is completely inconsistent to maintain one-year licences in the Discovery Islands, while moving to a six-year licence regime elsewhere, especially when this year has provided even more evidence of the increased dangers of disease from salmon farms.

Confirmation of the presence of heart and skeletal muscle inflammation, or HSMI, by DFO scientist Dr. Kristi Miller, in Atlantic salmon samples collected from a B.C. salmon farm prove that action must be taken to prevent the spread of this deadly salmon disease. This disease has the potential to spread to wild Pacific salmon, with a devastating result.

Much research has been published on the negative impacts on wild salmon from sea lice associated with salmon farms. There is absolutely no proof or evidence that demonstrates these risks have been addressed or eliminated. Allowing the open net salmon farming industry to unofficially expand their operations through six-year licences, despite a lack of scientific support, is absolutely inconsistent with following the precautionary approach. Does the government deny the evidence confirming open net salmon farms pose more than a minimal risk to wild salmon? What evidence does it have to support such a claim?

Further, the Cohen Commission asked the government to stop promoting open net salmon farms as an industry and farmed salmon as a product and return to the primary objective of preserving wild salmon. This licensing decision demonstrates the department's conflicted mandate. It appears that promoting the open net salmon farming industry is held above the department's constitutional mandate to protect wild fish and the fishery.

The parliamentary secretary needs to explain why the government has chosen to go in this misguided direction.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to say that I am confident in the regulatory management of the aquaculture industry in all of Canada, but most particularly in British Columbia. Measures are in place through regulations and conditions of licence to apply evidence-based thresholds and standards to manage environmental impacts. Moreover, the industry is required to report to Fisheries and Oceans Canada on all of its activities.

The effect of all these regulations and reporting requirements makes finfish aquaculture in British Columbia the most heavily regulated and transparent aquaculture sector in Canada. As a result, we are able to know a great deal about how finfish aquaculture is managed and practised in British Columbia, including its outcomes according to reporting, audit, and surveillance activities and other management measures.

What does all the data, which has now been collected over the last five years, tell us? Are there indications of any significant problems with finfish aquaculture in British Columbia? In fact, the evidence shows an industry that has steadily reduced its environmental impact, mitigated the impacts it has had, and minimized its interactions with wild populations and their habitat.

We are a country and a government that rely on the best scientific advice to inform our regulatory regimes. We use evidence as a basis for making decisions and we see no evidence that the environment is being sacrificed to further the economic development of the aquaculture industry in British Columbia. Canada's aquaculture industry, as a whole, has an exemplary record. The compliance rate of aquaculture operations with the Fisheries Act regulations was over 99% each year.

Based on this evidence, Fisheries and Oceans Canada agreed to enable multi-year licensing for aquaculture operators in British Columbia. Multi-year licensing is the standard in other countries and employing it in British Columbia gives our industry more of a level playing field with its competitors. This initiative was undertaken in full consultation with the aquaculture industry and other stakeholders, as well as indigenous peoples.

The point to emphasize is that the government maintains the ability to change licensing conditions at any time for the conservation and protection of fish, regardless of the licence duration. This change reduces the administrative burden on both industry and on Fisheries and Oceans Canada, but it does not affect our ability to manage the industry.

Based on all the evidence, we believe that the regulatory regime is sufficiently robust and strong to be able to ensure well-paying and stable jobs for thousands of people living in rural, remote, and coastal communities, support an innovative and world-leading aquaculture industry, and protect wild populations and the aquatic environment.

Therefore, I stand here in the House in full support of British Columbia's aquaculture industry as well as the aquaculture industry across the country, in support of our robust regulatory regime, in support of good jobs, and in support of healthy and nutritious farmed seafood products that feed Canadians as well as people around the world.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the government should do the right thing: immediately return to the one year licence regime; respect Justice Cohen's recommendations; and commit to protecting wild salmon by supporting my private member's bill, Bill C-228 to transition west coast open net salmon farms to safe closed containment systems within five years.

Instead, the government is choosing to simply disregard science and first nations concerns. There was no first nations consultation or agreement to extend these salmon farm licences. Of particular note was the lack of consultation with the Musgamagw Dzawada'enuxw Tribal Council, who have approximately one-third of B.C.'s salmon farms in their territory.

Will the government commit to immediately consult with the Musgamagw Dzawada'enuxw Tribal Council and other first nations whose right to a wild salmon fishery is being threatened by open net salmon farms?

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I repeat that I am confident that in the regulatory management of the aquaculture industry in all of Canada, but most particularly in British Columbia, the effect of all regulations and reporting requirements in place makes finfish aquaculture in British Columbia the most heavily regulated and most transparent aquaculture sector in Canada.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada agreed to enable multi-year licensing for aquaculture operators in British Columbia, however, the government maintains the ability to change licensing conditions at any time for the conservation and protection of fish, regardless of the licence duration. This initiative was undertaken in full consultation with the aquaculture industry and other stakeholders, as well as indigenous peoples.

We believe that the regulatory regime is sufficiently robust and strong to be able to ensure well-paying and stable jobs for thousands of people living in rural, remote, and coastal communities, and protect wild fish populations.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The motion to adjourn the House is now deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 2 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 7:32 p.m.)