Editor:
In spite of the collapse of this year's sockeye salmon stocks, DFO has allowed hundreds of thousands of endangered sockeye to be fished. Minister Shea and the DFO continue to deny the collapse, are promoting the expansion of fish farms and are ignoring the degradation of habitat caused by logging, independent power projects and other development such asWest Beach on the Adams river (main spawning river for Fraser River sockeye).
What should have been a record return of spawning salmon in the Nechako and Fraser rivers is instead a record disaster.
The following are issues that need to be addressed now!
a) Stop the proliferation of open net fish farms and remove them from B.C. waterways. The destruction of salmon stocks is well documented by countries that have permitted fish farms: i.e. Chile, Scotland, Norway.
b) Place a moratorium on the development of independent power projects on B.C. waterways, until we know the cumulative effects on salmon in the over 800 B.C. rivers and streams that have been staked.
The apathy of most British Columbians, particularly the generations of commercial fishermen who have benefitted from the bounty of the salmon fishery, is absolutely appalling.
Moreover, Prime Minister Harper and Premier Campbell are permitting on their watch the collapse of B.C. wild salmon stocks and the destruction of the very habitat in which they spawn.
Corene Lindsay
Gibsons
