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Communities and government officials in the province of British Columbia, Canada, have said they were “blindsided” by the Canadian government’s decision to phase out all net-pen salmon farming in the Discovery Islands, with just 18-months’ notice.
Multiple organizations and government officials, including the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA) and the Northern Vancouver Island Mayors, have condemned the sudden notice, saying that the decision will risk jobs in the area and place the viability of the CAD 1.6 billion (USD 1.25 billion, EUR 1.02 billion) BC salmon farming industry in jeopardy. Canadian Member of Parliament for Tobique-Mactaquac Richard Bragdon said in a letter to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard Bernadette Jordan that the decision left the region with “serious concerns.”