Biologist and wild-salmon advocate Alexandra Morton has praised the pre-election positions of the Greens, Liberals, and New Democrats on the future of fish farms on the B.C. coast. She has also called for new careers for those now working on fish farms.

In a March 24 post on her blog, Morton wrote:

"The three leading political parties in British Columbia have made statements about salmon feedlots in preparation for the upcoming election.

"They all recognize there is a serious problem with salmon feedlots on wild salmon migration routes. This is the most hopeful thing that has happened in the past 20 years of trying to restore wild salmon to BC.

"Please keep communicating with your candidates, they will need you to stand by them as they inform this aggressive industry, that it is time for them to get away from BC wild salmon. It is time for them to get out of the wild salmon migration routes."

Morton also expressed her views in a 6-minute video, noting that the Liberals had admitted that the province is the proprietor of coastal waters, and that the NDP were calling for a ban on fish farms:

Morton called for a transition plan to help fish-farm workers enter new careers: "This is not their fault."

Crawford Kilian is a contributing editor of The Tyee.