Surprise! The Salmon People podcast just dropped a new episode

In British Columbia, the Salmon People and the fish farm industry are waiting on two big announcements. One is from the court and the other from the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. Each group is worried the decisions won’t go their way.

The first time the court evaluated the minister’s decision on fish farms, industry won and consultations started all over again on moving fish farms out of the water by 2025.

This time everyone wants to be heard. But something odd happened. The First Nations in favour of fish farms, and the fish farms themselves, seemed to get more of the minister’s time.

Businesswoman Sonia Strobel, who owns a small business that buys from 45 families who catch wild fish and has 8,000 customers across Canada, wrote an email to a senior fisheries manager asking about a meeting she might attend. But she didn’t get a response.

“Not even a, ‘Sorry’ or not even a, ‘This is how the process will unfold.’ Or ‘Hey, you know, this is somebody else you should get in touch with’ or, um, not even a polite sort of, um, ‘Thanks so much for your interest. We'll get back to you.’ Nothing,” Strobel said.

Scientist Stan Proboszcz of Watershed Watch says the goals of the transition were spelled out in documents he received through access to I\information and privacy (ATIP) requests to Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

“It was apparent to me, looking at many of the ATIPs, is the aquaculture management division was devising and coming up with ideas around the transition plan way before consultations were complete and in some instances before they barely began,” Proboszcz said.

In a document from 2022, two of the three goals relate to supporting the fish farms: “Attracting investment in aquaculture, including into land-based aquaculture,” and, “Maintaining a competitive, viable salmon aquaculture sector that continues to generate jobs and investment.”

Just one of the goals mentioned protecting wild salmon.

Fisheries and Oceans set aside $3million for grants to First Nations, tribal councils and Indigenous organizations. First Nations that support the fish farm industry received almost half the money. That stood out for Proboszcz.

“A coalition, known as the Coalition of First Nations for Finfish Stewardship (FNFFS), did receive a large amount of money. I think it was over $750,000,” Proboszcz said. “After looking at their website, it's kind of unclear as to how many First Nations are actually a part of that coalition. It's slightly vague.”

The FNFFS was created in 2022 just as consultations were beginning. Its website says it has 17 members but there is no list. Spokesperson Dallas Smith says its members’ names are private, so those in support of fish farms don’t get attacked on social media.

Smith says his members are First Nations who want the right to control when and where the farms operate.

“That's one of the reasons why I'm involved in the advocacy right now, is because any transition has to include the socioeconomic impact that's in place, whether people like fish farms or not. It exists and it's licensed and it's regulated, and there's people whose livelihoods depend on it right now,” Smith said.

In Episode 15 of The Salmon People, Sandra Bartlett questions whether Fisheries and Oceans Canada cast a wide enough net in their consultations about transitioning the fish farms by 2025.

The Salmon People podcast is a co-production between Sandra Bartlett and Canada’s National Observer. Listen to Episode 15, Who Owns the Ocean, on your favourite listening app.