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Environment

Court rules against fish farm expansion

A B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled yesterday that fish farming will not be allowed to expand in B.C. waters until at least December.

Justice Christopher Hinkson made the ruling following a decision to give the federal government more time to take over the industry from the province. The transfer of power was supposed to happen next month, and instead has been postponed until December, 2010.

Last year, following an injunction led by biologist and salmon farm opponent Alexandra Morton, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled that the provincial government did not have the authority to regulate fish farms in its coastal waters.

Also yesterday, Target Corp., a U.S. discount department store chain announced it was eliminating farmed salmon from all of its fresh, frozen and smoked seafood sections. A store spokesperson said it wanted to source salmon "in a sustainable way that helps to preserve abundance, species health and doesn't harm local habitats." All Target-owned brands on salmon will be wild-caught Alaskan salmon.

Colleen Kimmett reports for The Tyee.

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  • The Lastfish

    2 years ago

  • DPL

    2 years ago

    Good news. wonder when Gordo

    Good news. wonder when Gordo and Co. will attempt an appeal? Heck it's our money

  • max von smartt

    2 years ago

    sorta good news

    but are those wild salmon hatchery raised??as in sea ranching.

  • The Lastfish

    2 years ago

    @ max von smart

    Hatchery salmon aren`t ranched,

    The Capilano Cohoe salmon are hatchery wild salmon...The Robertson Hatchery in Port alberni is and has been a hatchery success.
    Please don`t lump releasing 10 inch salmon smolts into the wild with caged Alien Atlantic salmon that are fed anti-biotics,fish pellets made from every sea food life you can imagine.Soft mushy caged Atlantic salmon are NOT HATCHERY FISH,Salmon released from hatcheries live in the ocean,they migrate thousands of miles only to return and spawn,stop trying to MUDDY the debate!!!!!!

    Otherwise,You should change your "Last Name" to something else

  • crankypants

    2 years ago

    Fantastic

    Maybe a few more food outlets will follow suit and also quit flogging this farmed crap. Financial pressure is one thing the fish ranchers will understand loud and clear. Let's see how viable their businesses are if the only thing they can sell their product for is pet food and fertilizer.

  • Dan the socialist

    2 years ago

    Yeah but is Harper and the

    Yeah but is Harper and the feds going to run it any better though?

  • Barryeng

    2 years ago

    Our Victories

    Our Victories are few and far between. We should congratulate This judge for his decision, and Alexdranda Morton for her persistence. Then we should thank Target for their decision to stop selling farmed fish.

    This means we have won one small battle though, not the war. Why should it take one government a year to pass control of the fish farms to another government, unless there is a very large lobby working to stop it from happening?

  • singingwithin

    2 years ago

  • The Lastfish

    2 years ago

    Gordon Campbell,Destroyer of Wild B.C. Salmon

    Unreported Alien Salmon escapements from Norwegian Fish farms ib B.C....

    http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.com/2010/01/40000-atlantic-salmon-escape-from-fish.html

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