Besides Mowi and Cermaq, the third production company affected by the Government of Canada's decision not to renew the licenses of fifteen open-net Atlantic salmon aquaculture facilities in the Discovery Islands, British Columbia, is Grieg Seafood BC. Although the company refers to what has already been jointly stated by the industry through the BC Salmon Farmers Association, its Managing Director, Jennifer Woodland, told WeAreAquaculture that the decision "goes against DFO's own science".
Like the other producers, the feeling at Grieg is also one of disappointment. "Grieg Seafood BC is disappointed in the decision released on February 17 by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard (DFO) Joyce Murray to not approve its license application for its Barnes Bay farm site", Woodland said.
"The decision goes against DFO's own science and is an unsupported reaction to a complex and multi-layered issue. The decision also has implications for local Nations who wish to use aquaculture to help to advance their holistic marine management plans", she added.
The three main industry associations, the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance – on whose board of directors Jennifer Woodland herself sits -, the BC Salmon Farmers Association and the Coalition of First Nations for Finfish Stewardship already stated that the Canadian government's resolution ignores the science and the rights and titles of First Nations.
Finally, Woodland claimed that in the coming weeks, Grieg will continue to engage with government, First Nations, and industry to continue to learn more about the decision.
Grieg Seafood is one of the world's leading salmon farming companies, with a catch target of 90,000 tons in 2022 and 130,000 tons in 2025. It is headquartered in Bergen, Norway, but has fish farms in Norway – Finnmark and Rogaland -, and Canada – British Columbia and Newfoundland -. More than 750 people work for the company in various regions, 180 of them in BC's coastal communities, where Grieg operates 22 fish farms and one hatchery. Grieg Seafood BC is licensed to produce 23,400 tonnes of salmon per year for the North American and Asian markets.
