Fisheries & Ocean Protection Act
Category: Environment — Environment
Summary
Protect salmon habitat, restore spawning grounds, and support sustainable fishing practices.
What this proposal changes
- Creates a BC Wild Salmon Recovery Fund of $150 million over five years for stream restoration, fish passage, and habitat protection.
- Requires all BC salmon farms to transition to land-based closed-containment systems within seven years, ending open-net marine salmon aquaculture.
- Establishes mandatory fish habitat assessments for all provincially approved development projects within 500 m of salmon-bearing streams.
- Funds a Fisheries Stewardship Grant program supporting First Nations-led and community-led habitat restoration and monitoring.
Arguments for
- Pacific salmon are both an ecological keystone and a cultural foundation for BC coastal First Nations; declines affect entire ecosystems and economies.
- Closed-containment aquaculture eliminates sea lice and disease transmission from farms to wild salmon — the most scientifically documented harm of open-net farming.
- First Nations-led fisheries stewardship programs consistently deliver better ecological outcomes and community engagement than government-administered programs.
Arguments against
- Closed-containment transition is capital-intensive for salmon farmers; without provincial support, it may result in farm closures and job losses in coastal communities.
- Fisheries management is a federal jurisdiction; many of the most impactful tools are outside provincial authority.
- Development habitat assessment requirements add cost and time to projects, creating another regulatory layer in an already complex approval process.
Cost & implementation
Wild Salmon Recovery Fund: $150 million over five years. Closed-containment transition support: $100–200 million. Stewardship grants: $20–40 million annually. Federal coordination required for regulatory changes.
Jurisdiction & legal authority
Fisheries are a federal jurisdiction under the Fisheries Act. Provinces have jurisdiction over land-use and provincial water management. BC can regulate freshwater fisheries habitat through land-use law.
How to vote
Visit cascadia.vote/questions/pnwc-A31 to cast your vote: Yes, No, or Maybe.
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