Statement
Statement on Sea Shepherd celebrity campaign
BCSFA STATEMENT RE: SEA SHEPHERD SOCIETY CELEBRITY CAMPAIGN
CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C. – The BC Salmon Farmers Association is responding to today’s activist campaign launch, this time featuring Pamela Anderson and the Sea Shepherd Society.
The Sea Shepard Society says they are going to travel up the BC coast over the course of several weeks, stopping at various salmon farms to “conduct audits”, which will be done in a “non-aggressive and non-harassing manner”. B.C. Salmon Farmers are concerned about the aims of this voyage and campaign. Although they have reinforced that they will be “non-aggressive and non-harassing” when approaching farms, the Sea Shepherd society has a long history of doing the opposite. Farming companies place great emphasis on the health and safety of employees, and the health and wellbeing of their animals.
FACTS:
Salmon farmers in B.C. have world-leading practices, with every farm certified by third-party environmental sustainability and food safety standards. Farmers raising Atlantic salmon have all committed to achieving the most stringent certification available – the ASC certification – by 2020, and are getting there as fast, or faster, than anyone in the world.
Salmon on farms are healthy, with about 90% surviving through to market. Fish on farms are examined on a daily basis, with thousands of laboratory tests done each year in B.C. to ensure that farmers know the exact health status of their stock.
Salmon farmers in B.C. regularly participate in collaborative research with government, academics, as well as with vocal critics of salmon farming, recently committing $1.5-million to 2020 through our Marine Environmental Research Program.
Farmed salmon is BC’s largest food export. The industry supports thousands of jobs on the Coast, employing and partnering with First Nations. 78% of salmon raised in BC is under a First Nations agreement.
Farmed salmon meets the needs of a growing population, relieving pressure from wild stocks.
Farmed salmon has a low carbon footprint compared to other proteins like farmed beef, and pork.
QUOTES:
BCSFA Executive Director Jeremy Dunn:
“We’re disappointed that this latest publicity stunt is attempting to paint a misleading picture of an industry that provides a healthy, sustainable product that feeds millions of people”
“Our industry is obsessed with the health of salmon as salmon health is essential to the success of our industry.”
“B.C. salmon farmers are involved with the Pacific Salmon Foundation, Department of Fisheries & Oceans, UBC, and others in the Strategic Salmon Health Initiative – the largest single study into the health of salmon on the B.C. coast ever undertaken. A world-class research team is currently testing close to 30,000 samples of wild, hatchery and farm-raised salmon. We are relying on this team to ensure advocacy and research do not get confused.”
“It is important to distinguish research from advocacy. Both are legitimate but they are different. The research question that is the focus of this voyage seems to be the presence of the virus PRV ...the answer is already out there: PRV is common on this coast and has been since the late 1980’s. Like people, all animals have thousands of viruses. What we worry about is do they cause disease. This is the more interesting question. The answer for salmon and PRV after years of study is no.”
“Members of the BCSFA are open to meeting with Sea Shepherd Scientists to hear if they think there is a different approach to that of the leading government and university scientists, or if they can add to the expertise already working on projects, we’d like to see if there is a possibility for collaboration.”
Detailed responses have been provided to the information circulated by activists, and are available here.
About the BC Salmon Farmers Association:
B.C salmon farmers grow 58% of all salmon raised in Canada and account for 60% of the total landed value of seafood in British Columbia, generating more than $1.14-billion towards the provincial economy. The BCSFA represents the province’s vibrant and diversified salmon aquaculture sector inclusive of companies raising salmon as well as the businesses that proudly provide services and supplies. For more information visit BCSalmonFarmers.ca
Media contact:
Sabrina Santoro
Sabrina@bcsalmonfarmers.ca
604-202-4417
