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by Jennifer Dart
The Westerly News
June 14, 2006

Twenty people gave testimony to the Special Legislative Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture when it stopped in Tofino June 6 and the majority of those spoke in defence of an industry that has filled the employment gap left by the decline of the wild salmon fishery.

The contentious issue also brought out passionate appeals in opposition to current practices, the environmental effects of which, some argued, are not fully known. The polarization included members of the same First Nation, and even of the same family.

Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation chief councillor Moses Martin told the committee he wouldn't have supported the industry 15 years ago. He said he fought against destructive logging practices in Clayoquot Sound, and against logging on Meares Island. But the disappearance of his granddaughter in Nanaimo and the fact his grandson is in jail have caused Martin to reconsider his stance. He said he feels responsible for both occurrences, which he linked to unemployment in his community as a result of the failure of the forestry sector.

"Well, I paid a hell of a price for what I did in those days," said an emotional Martin. "I feel reponsible for that because of what I did, fighting hard on zero impact to the environment. We closed down the logging industry, pretty much, in Clayoquot Sound. We've done other things that left people with no employment opportunities."

Martin spoke of the benefits his people receive from Creative Salmon, a company holding six tenures in his traditional territory. In addition to employment, the company provides funding for various social and sports programs for youth to keep them away from drugs and alcohol, he said.

Rather than the confrontational stance he took in the past, Martin said he's focused on how he can work to "minimize the impact, if there are impacts, to the environment."

Joe Martin (Moses' nephew) also spoke of the values of respect and of Hishuk-ish ts'awalk (Nuu-chah-nulth for everything is interconncted). He said he believes the logging industry is responsible for the destruction of salmon habitat, and the future of the remaining stocks is threatened by fish farming.

"I have been a member of the wolf clan of our tribe. We are the people who are to protect this land and to speak about it when we can't [protect it]. That's a responsibility given to us," said Joe Martin.

Joe also said he couldn't blame workers in the industry for wanting jobs, but emphasized, "it's important to be careful with what we have left."

"it's important to be careful with what we have left." Joe Martin

Joe Martin testified along with Suzanne Hare and Mitlanova (Misty) Lawson. Hare also spoke to the need to protect wild stocks and how Alaskan wild stocks are flourishing where there are no fish farms.

She said bottom-dwelling basking sharks and herring are staying away from farm sites, and escaped Atlantic salmon aren't dying off as commonly thought, but rather flourishing in the area's streams.

Other testimony against salmon farming came from Steve Lawson, with the First Nations Environmental Network and Friends of Clayoquot Sound campaigner Celina Tuttle.

Both Lawson and Tuttle questioned the timing of the meeting, saying they hadn't been given much warning. Committee member Scott Fraser (Alberni Qualicum MLA) said the committee had a "small window of opportunity to hit the road".

Submissions to the committee are due by July 1.

Lawson said his organization is not in favour of salmon farming the way it's currently happening on the West Coast and expressed concern that siting a high concentration of farms where the "last five wild rivers remain" is not "good science or good common sense."

"It's not all about jobs," said Lawson.

Tuttle also wondered why her requests to accompany committee members to farm sites on the area were ignored. She pointed to pollution from feed and feces at farm sites in the area as a major problem, as well the depletion of 'subsistence' fish stocks in developing nations to convert into feed for the farmed fish industry.

Tourism, a larger industry, could also be impacted, said Tuttle, referring to the recent discovery of several dead sea lions (which got caught in predator nets surrounding two farm sites) by a local bear watching company.

Tuttle called on the committee to exert their influence to delay the expansion of the industry until they had completed their reporting. The final report of the Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture is due May 30, 2007.

The committee heard extensive testimony from fish farm company representatives, as well as others who rely on the industry.

Many spoke against closed containmenet land-based systems, saying densities are too high (thereby necessitating antibiotic use), power is an issue, as well as waste disposal.

Tim Rundle, of Creative Salmon, urged the committee to consider those who rely on salmon farming in their deliberations: "I just want to make the point that any recommendations your committee makes need to be workable, otherwise you are jeapordizing the livelihoods of thousands of people like myself who make a living from salmon farming."

Lions Gate Fisheries manager Jack Greig says his processing plant relies on Creative Salmon fish for 80 percent of their business and to maintain 24 fulltime jobs.

One of those 24 employees, H'niqutk, wondered what would happen if the plant were to close: "If anything happens, like if anything shuts down, what are we going to do? Who is going to help put food on our table if anything happens to the industry up here? Are you willing to do that for us?"

Mainstream general manager Alistair Houghton said his organization has improved from 24 percent compliance rate with Fisheries and Oceans roughly three years ago to 100 percent. He said at first the company's relations were "tense to say the least" with the Ahousaht First Nation, whose traditional territory their farms are located, but they have since improved.

Dr. David Groves providedd evidence concerning the trouble his organization, the Pacific Organic Seafood Association, is having meeting organic certification standards for farmed salmon.

Whitey Bernard and David Griffiths of the Tofino Business Association also spoke in favour of salmon farming in the area. Bernard confirmed Atlantic salmon had been found in rivers in the area, but said none had been seen in the past two years.

Griffiths urged the committee to undertake "legitimate and responsible scientific research into the impact of aquaculture on the environment and wild fish stocks." He said environmental groups have used "suspect science and spurious claims in what essentially amounts to a faith-based campaign to persecute honest, hard-working people."

Fraser said the committee is travelling north from here, but will then break for the Kelowna caucus meetings.

The committee is made up of NDP and Liberal MLAs, and was tasked by the legislature to "examine, inquire into, and make recommendations with respect to sustainable aquaculture" in BC, considering economic and environmental impacts and sustainable options that focus on the "interaction between aquaculture, wild fish and the marine environment."

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Copyright The Westerly News, a Canwest Company. Reproduction of this article or photographs, in whole or in part, is illegal without the written consent of The Westerly News (westnews@ukeecable.net). The Westerly News is published each Wednesday in Ucluelet. Phone: 250 726-7029

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