Media Advisory
Rally - Ocean Fish Farms – Ticking Virus Bombs?
Date: Thursday, January 14, 2016
Place: DFO Office, 401 Pender Street, Vancouver
Time: 11:00 am
A rally will be held at the Department of Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard office this Thursday to raise public awareness about the danger fish farms pose to wild salmon, the diverse economy and biodiversity it supports. With long overdue action on the Cohen Commission, the aggressive intent of the ocean fish farm industry to expand, and new scientific evidence the ISA virus is in BC waters, there is no time to waste.
“It is extremely urgent for the Liberal government to meet with scientists publishing on the ISA virus, and the First Nations Wild Salmon Alliance (FNWSA) to avoid the unimaginable – the loss wild salmon due to viruses such as ISA,” stated Jim Hobart, Chief of the Spuzzum First Nation, and member of the FNWSA. “The fish farm industry approach of attacking the peer-reviewed science only emphasizes the need for immediate open and transparent virus testing of farmed salmon in those open-net pens,” added Chief Hobart.
“We are all in favor of long overdue testing of ocean farmed salmon, but what is also required is an immediate stop to any expansion of open-net pen farms on migration routes of wild salmon, insisted Chief Michelle Lee Edwards of Sekw’el’wes First Nation in Lillooet.
Wild Salmon Defenders are mobilizing to be at the site for the rally with signs, banners, drummers and singers and statements from stakeholders.
Eddie Gardner, Wild Salmon Defenders Alliance Coordinator