I hope you are right but when a group like, Pacific Salmon Foundation, Fraser Basin Council etc. gets funding from government that raises concerns what they will say at times.https://www.psf.ca/contributor/fisheries-and-oceans-canada.
And as I said the present government said at the debate, ocean located FF are fine. Is the report from Riddell going to say they are a problem to wild salmon and the environment and go against what the Fisheries Minister is saying, time. will tell I guess.
ITs Funny how on this forum where there are mostly fresh water fishermen there a lot support fish farms. On a Salt Water forum that I frequent, all the fishermen there want to see salmon farms gone. I guess when you know or have herd of someone catching an Atlantic Salmon in the chuck its a different story (Sorry Dave no I don't have the science to back up this comment).
Harper decimated the whole department (was not just Harper but John Crachan and Paul Martin too being the economical liberals they were). He brought in the navigable waters act to streamline development at take small salmon streams out of DFO's hands. Now there is one guy in the Prince George office that approves all the development for BC. He just basically auto accepts the applications because like he has time to come down and visit the effected streams. (Sorry Dave I don't have links to the facts just what i have been told from a retired fish biologist). Since DFO stopped doing stream counts most of the current fishery officers don't even know half of the salmon bearing creeks in the lower mainland.
IF the science comes back that fish farms are good and have zero impact. The wild stocks (from climate change) and Hatchery (from Funding) will go the way of the dodo bird. You will have fish farms using the science in commercials touting the benefits of farm salmon. They will pay for high profile chefs to go on commercials stating how better they taste and sustainable they are.The general public will start looking at rec fishermen like they do hunters. The Government will give the industry the over site to third party company so the industry can manage themselves.
The Federal Government would want nothing more then to see wild salmon go extinct, its been a thorn in their side years. From the Fish wars on the Fraser in the 1990's, to closing Laid law bar for garbage to having to deal with recreation fishermen throwing bouncing betties at First Nations.
Sorry for the no facts in the facts thread. Apparently I am too jaded being to close to these issues for to many years. Still I am happy tho that attest some people still care to have this discussion so thank you guys!