We could be on the brink of seeing the end of salmon farms in BC, with 17 banned at the end of last year. But there are still over 100 more open-net farms that are threatening wild salmon populations with parasites and disease. Timing is critical to ban the destructive open-net farms before the next migration season. We need to prevent wild salmon from being contaminated with sea lice and deadly viruses from fish farms. Pressure is mounting from all sides as the Federal fisheries minister pushes to take a more precautionary approach to fish farms. If we all work together we can ensure we keep his feet to the fire and protect the wild salmon for good. 

Tell the Federal and B.C. Fisheries Ministers to ban open-net fish farms on the West Coast!

Wild Pacific salmon populations have been in decline for decades, and fish farms are making it worse. For too many years, open-net fish farms have been polluting the marine environment and failing to control the spread of piscine orthoreovirus (a super infectious virus found in both farmed and wild salmon), as well as other diseases like sea lice, which attach to young wild salmon on their migration out to sea and threaten their survival.

Despite the well-documented risks associated with open net-cage farms, there are over 100 of them along the BC coast, polluting the surrounding water and seabed with waste, chemicals, diseases and parasites. After the Dzawada'enuxw First Nation sued the Federal Government in December, all 17 fish farms in British Columbia's Broughton Archipelago will either be closed or relocated. Fisheries will need to get First Nations communities’ consent to operate within their territory, as well as the approval from Fisheries and Oceans Canada that these operations do not threaten wild Pacific salmon.

With these new developments, now is the time to act and call on the Federal government to completely ban open-net fish farms on the West Coast, and prevent fisheries from exploiting people and the planet for their profit.

We’ve fought and won these battles before. When disgusting footage shot by Tavish Campbell was released, over 26,000 members like you rallied for change. Because of the response, the federal Fisheries minister announced a complete review of the Fisheries Act and put in more protection for wild salmon. 

We know that people power has worked to protect wild salmon before and now it's time to come together again and ban fish farms once and for all. 

Will you call on the Federal and BC Fisheries Ministers to ban open-net fish farms and protect wild Pacific salmon?