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Greenpeace Ship Leads International Protest On Remote Coast of British Columbia

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Broughton Archipelago, British Columbia, 10 Jul 04

Greenpeace activists aboard the Arctic Sunrise joined by First Nations from Canada and Alaska led a flotilla of protest boats through the Broughton Archipelago today demanding an end to open net-cage fish farm expansion along the west coast of North America.

“Alaska stands resolutely opposed to fish farm operations, while British Columbia is expanding aquaculture toward Alaska, a reckless move that heedlessly threatens wild salmon stocks in both countries,” said Jeremy Paster of Greenpeace U.S.

Greenpeace activists and First Nations from Canada and the US laid a 20-metre floating banner with the message “Keep It Wild – No Fish Farms” next to fish farm pens in the Broughton Archipelago, one of the most besieged and concentrated areas of fish farms in the world.

Leaders of the Musgamagw-Tsawataineuk Tribal Council are demanding the removal of all open net-cage fish farms in their traditional territories in and around the Broughton.

In 2002, close to 4 million wild pink salmon died after contracting lethal levels of sea lice from fish farms in the Broughton – one of the largest collapses of a fishery in BC’s history, as noted by respected sources like the Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council. At the end of April of this year, juvenile pinks were seen with deadly numbers of sea lice, higher than in 2002. Many of these small fish had more than 60 lice on them.

“What’s happening in the Broughton – the eradication of a major wild salmon run – is bound to happen on the north coast toward Alaska where the BC and federal governments are now expanding fish farms,” said Catherine Stewart, Greenpeace Canada’s westcoast campaigner. “Canada’s agenda of fish farm expansion is completely disregarding the lifeblood of the entire westcoast: the wild salmon.”

Official applications have been made for three sites on B.C.’s north coast. One near the Alaskan border at Anger Anchorage has been approved, and the others, at Petrel Point and Azimuth Island, are pending review by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

“We are watching a storm move closer, a Canadian-made storm that threatens to wipe out our traditional way of life and our livelihoods in Alaska,” said A. Webster Denmert, president of the Klawock Cooperative Association, an Alaskan native commercial fisheries group that took part in the protest. “We are here to ask all Canadians to put a stop to this insanely risky endeavour.”

Contact: Andrew Male, Greenpeace Canada communications coordinator – - tel:(416) 880-2757

@ July 11, 2004