Back to the Land
from The Salmon People
In British Columbia where multinational corporations have controlled salmon farms for decades – they are now under a deadline to leave. The Canadian government has told them to get out of the ocean by 2029. Many people can’t believe they even want to stay. Climate change is causing all sorts of problems – warm water spawning algae growths, rampant sea lice infestations and diseases. Some farms have lost hundreds of thousands of fish in die offs. John Holder has been designing land-based fish farms all over the world for twenty-five years. He doesn’t believe the ocean open-net farms have a future anywhere. “The climate is going to force them off the ocean”, Holder said. The companies – Mowi – Cermaq and previously Grieg - say they can’t move because there is no available land, no reliable sources of water and electricity in B.C. But John Holder with his partner Rob Walker have found land and are developing two land-based farms in the province. Walker says land-based farms are operating all over the world growing salmon, trout, arctic char, tilapia and more. They provide food and a small income to family growers. In Canada Holder says he is helping First Nations who are embracing land-based fish farms in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario. But not in B.C. – not yet.
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