ROBIN ADAIR
VANCOUVER ISLAND – “F-off” fish farms! Are these the words of reconciliation…really? It would seem actor William Shatner thinks so as he screams profanity and directs a middle finger in a YouTube video calling for the end of open pen BC salmon farming.
This latest production is part of a campaign by the Pacific Wild conservation group which claims Atlantic Salmon farms spread disease and lice that has decimated the wild salmon stock. This message is in direct opposition to recent scientific studies that have suggested the risks of this type of aquaculture are uncertain. Angry First Nations groups are justifiably demanding an apology from Shatner, and producer Ryan Reynolds.
After all, these farms are hosted in First Nations waters, employing nearly 700 indigenous people and bringing in $133 million annually. If the farms close, these jobs disappear forever. Perhaps Shatner, Reynolds and company should be considering this sobering reality instead of throwing barbs from their multi-million-dollar mansions in California. Indeed, the “F-off” approach can certainly go both ways.
And what about the federal government, long on promises of reconciliation but short on strategy to preserve an important First Nations industry? Ottawa says it will ban open net salmon farms starting in 2029 and suggests the only solution is for a shift to closed-containment operations. However, Timothy Kennedy from the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance says this plan is “irresponsible and unachievable”. He adds that jobs are threatened along with 400 million salmon meals produced every year.
Industry says the science doesn’t support this arbitrary line in the sand. However, Jonathan Wilkinson, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, counters that protecting wild stock is paramount and industry must adapt. So, here comes the big reconciliation question. If the government insists on moving to closed pen fish farms, where’s the money to assist industry and its First Nations partners to help make this transition and ensure it’s done in a safe way for our environment? After all, Ottawa spends billion on Indigenous economic projects so why not direct funds to build these closed-pen operations?
It’s all well and fine to stand around solemnly before every public meeting to acknowledge First Nations and their territories, but the words ring hollow if we don’t give them the tools they need to build an independent future around a clean, sustainable industry. And if rich outsiders like William Shatner want to be taken seriously, perhaps they should make a financial contribution to the welfare of coastal BC instead of playing the role of public laughing stock.
Robin Adair is Co-Host Victoria Rumble Room
