Sockeye salmon jumping over river rapids to go upstream to spawn in the fall in British Columbia, Canada.
Adobe Stock.
Following beach seine sampling conducted on behalf of Mowi Canada West in the Broughton Archipelago, BC, in 2024, the BC Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA) has argued that salmon farms do not drive sea lice levels on wild salmon.
The data obtained from the wild juvenile salmonid monitoring program shows that the variability in the percentage of sea lice on wild Pacific salmon remains unchanged despite the removal of salmon farms in the area.
Additionally, the Salmon Coast Research Station found that "the number of [salmon lice] per fish remained relatively the same between 2023 and 2024, going from 0.0584 to 0.0658," according to BCSFA
For this reason, the association asked to recall 'Salmon lice biology, environmental factors, and smolt behavior with implications for the Norwegian salmon farming management system: A critical review' as it believes that the impact of sea lice from salmon farms on wild Atlantic salmon has been "significantly overestimated".
That research that, which analyzing the Norwegian traffic light system, reaffirms the results of other studies conducted in Canada on the impact of salmon farming on wild salmon.
"This is an important finding, as it aligns with the research and data we are seeing on sea lice in Canada. The highly variable relationship between lice levels on wild salmon and salmon aquaculture in BC indicates the need for a greater understanding of all factors affecting the survival of wild salmon," alerted Simon Jones, Emeritus Scientist of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
BC salmon farmers Association are committed to reconciliation, and all farms operating in BC are currently in agreement, negotiation, or established partnerships with First Nations in whose territories it operates.
These agreements are founded upon recognizing First Nations' right to exercise jurisdiction over the land, resources, and waters within their territories.
The BC Salmon Farmers Association represents over 60 businesses and organizations throughout the value chain of finfish aquaculture in BC. Its members account for over 95% of the annual provincial harvest of farm-raised salmon in British Columbia.
