CP32-93-2012-3-eng.pdf

Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River • Volume 3
Re-evaluating risk and mitigation measures for
salmon farms
18 If at any time between now and September 30,
2020, the minister of fisheries and oceans
determines that net-pen salmon farms in the
Discovery Islands (fish health sub-zone 3-2)
pose more than a minimal risk of serious
harm to the health of migrating Fraser River
sockeye salmon, he or she should promptly
order that those salmon farms cease
operations.
19 On September 30, 2020, the minister
of fisheries and oceans should prohibit
net-pen salmon farming in the Discovery
Islands (fish health sub-zone 3-2) unless
he or she is satisfied that such farms pose
at most a minimal risk of serious harm
to the health of migrating Fraser River
sockeye salmon. The minister’s decision
should summarize the information relied
on and include detailed reasons. The
decision should be published on the
Department of Fisheries and Oceans’
website.
20 To inform the decision under Recommendation
19, the minister and the Department
of Fisheries and Oceans should take the
following steps:
• Conduct the research and analysis
recommended in Recommendation 68
and publish the results of this research.
• Assess any relationships between salmon
farming variables compiled in the fish
health database and Fraser River sockeye
health or productivity.
• Invite from the salmon-farming industry
and from other interested parties written
submissions respecting the risk that netpen
salmon farms pose to the health of
migrating Fraser River sockeye salmon.
• Publish on the DFO website the full text of
all submissions received.
• Provide to submitters a reasonable
opportunity to respond in writing to other
submissions and publish such responses
on the DFO website.
Salmonid enhancement
facilities
Salmon enhancement or production facilities
include hatcheries, spawning channels, and
other improvements designed to produce fish.
In British Columbia there are 23 major federal
(DFO) enhancement facilities, 21 community
hatcheries operated as part of DFO’s Community
Economic Development Program, and approximately
350 public involvement projects
supported by 18 DFO community advisors. In
addition, provincial trout hatcheries are operated
under the Freshwater Fisheries Society of
BC. (See the section on habitat enhancement
and restoration in Volume 1, Chapter 6, Habitat
management, for a more detailed description of
salmonid enhancement facilities.)
Fish health management at
salmonid enhancement facilities
Salmonid enhancement facilities are regulated
under the federal Pacific Aquaculture Regulations.
Fish in enhancement facilities carry diseases and
pathogens, and the potential exists for enhanced
fish to transfer these pathogens to wild salmon
stocks. Indeed, I heard evidence that fish with
known and suspected infections have been released
from enhancement facilities into fish-bearing
waters. 77 In some cases, DFO’s practice appears to
be to release enhanced fish suffering from endemic
diseases – in particular, bacterial kidney disease
and endemic skin and gill parasites. 78
The state of regulatory development for salmonid
enhancement facilities is in its infancy:
• There are no standards for acceptable levels of
disease or pathogens in enhanced fish. 79
• There are no standard operating procedures
across facilities, though DFO has “done a
couple of workshops” to encourage community
hatcheries to write their own standard operating
procedures. 80
• There are deficiencies in record keeping – use
of different formats, lack of consistent record
keeping, and, in some cases, only anecdotal
information recorded. 81
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