Most of us who work in the salmon farming industry also live in BC's coastal communities and it is important to all of us to protect what we see as an integral part of BC's character: our wild salmon population.
We recognize the concern about declining wild salmon populations in BC, which is why we support a range of salmon enhancement projects and education initiatives.
Salmon farming techniques grew out of those used for salmonid enhancement in wild stocks. Unlike hatcheries, which release the salmon for the portion of their life cycle, salmon farms around the world found ways to retain the fish to harvest size. But salmon farmers have never forgotten their roots.
“As British Columbians, especially British Columbians who live and work on the coast, we care about the wild salmon - it's part of our heritage. Fundamentally, it's about raising healthy fish. We have a passion for seeing them grow, we have shared technology, shared feeds, shared approaches to fish health.”
- Mary Ellen Walling
Many farms and feed companies on BC's West Coast actively assist hatcheries and enhancement projects. For more information on enhancement projects email us at: info [at] salmonfarmers [dot] org
